Time Crisis Bk 1: Mortal Kombat
by AlphaPheonix
Summary: Time is being undone. The Titan of Time of the Mortal Kombat Multiverse, Chronika, is trying to undo the events set in place by Raiden and the Cage Family during the Second Shinnok Invasion. Phoenix Mason must travel to a world he once called home, facing friend and foe alike to defeat the threat to Time. Will he succeed, or will Time run out for the First Verser?
1. Chapter 1

I touched down in an area I was quickly becoming familiar with while I was here. The Special Forces secret desert base. I noticed the current squad standing at attention in front of a blonde woman with a commanding presence. I grinned and stood in the background, out of sight of everyone.

"…But there are no favorites here in the Special Forces. We have one tradition to keep before you can be promoted."

"I have to kick the CO's ass. Your ass, ma'am," said a young blonde woman in about her mid-twenties. _'Oh this should be fun.'_ I watched as they sized each other up before the younger woman charged forward, a green aura surrounding her. She managed to land a kick before she sent in a drone to shock the older woman. The CO jumped over the drone and kicked her opponent to the ground.

"Come on, Cassie," shouted a woman the same age as Cassie. _'And she's still here, too. Can't say I'm surprised. Like father, like daughter. A Briggs to the end.'_ I spotted a man watching the fight from in front of a fighter jet, grinning as he watched the fight.

"You got this, Sweetie," he shouted. _'He's getting up there in age, isn't he? Maybe I shouldn't mention Alma to them just yet. Might break his ego.'_ I looked around the base. _'That's odd. Those two aren't here. They must be at their respective training grounds.'_ I groaned and gripped my head as knowledge of alternate timelines started rushing into my head. I spotted multiple instances of two men, one a mortal, the other a god, fighting one another. _'What the hell was that?!'_ As I tried to get my thoughts in order Cassie managed to knock her CO to the ground and grin as she helped her up.

"Congratulations, Commander Cage," said the CO as she saluted to Cassie. Cassie saluted back as she smiled.

"Thank you, General." As the other soldiers stepped forward to congratulate her. I walked over to the man.

"Still one hell of a daughter, Cage," I said, making him jump and turn around. I grinned as he smiled back at me. "And taking down Sonya is no easy feat. I'm sure you know that from experience."

"Phoenix Mason," said Cage as he clapped a hand on my shoulder. "As I live and breathe. I thought you were traveling!"

"Decided to pay a visit before heading to the Fire Gardens. See how the team is doing."

"The team's doing great," said Cassie as she walked over to us, smiling. "And better without you holding us back." We shared a smile before hugging. "Good to see you again, Phoenix."

"Look at you. Commander Cassandra Cage of the United States Army Special Forces. Stepping up in the world, huh?"

"Yeah. What about you, man? How you been?"

"Busy. Let's leave it at that."

"Always so secretive, huh," asked the young woman cheering Cassie on before.

"Perks of the training, Jacquie. How's Takeda."

"Still needs some breaking in, but he's fine."

"Better hope Jax doesn't hear that." I grinned as she turned somber. "What's wrong?"

"Dad's been… depressed lately. Mom passed away a few months ago."

"Oh, damn. Jacquie, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. But it hit dad harder than it did me."

"She was his rock. I don't doubt he's taking this extremely roughly. I could go pay him a visit before heading to the Fire Gardens."

"I don't want to trouble you, Phoenix."

"If he's in a bad place, being alone is a bad thing. Trust me, I know."

"If you think you can help, go ahead and try. But none of us have been able to get through to him. Not even Aunt Sonya." I turned to Sonya. She sighed and shook her head.

"Damn. And you're his best friend."

"Maybe you'll have better luck," said Cage. "You said you have experience with mental trauma, right?"

"Yeah. More than enough experience."

"He's at our home," said Jacquie. I think you know where it is."

"Yeah. I did have to find him during the Shinnok incident."

"Hey," said Cage. "I gotta head out. Shoot starts in about an hour."

"You're still acting Johnny? I thought you'd retire by now."

"Hey, I'm not nearly old enough to retire."

"How's the knee?" He glared slightly at me before turning to Cassie. "Walk your o… your dad out, Sweetie."

"Ah, you were about to say: 'old man' weren't you," asked Cassie as she and Sonya followed Johnny out.

"Yeah, yeah." I grinned as I followed them. I stood back a bit as they had their family moment and felt the air shift slightly. A blast of red lightning struck the ground between me and the Cage family. _'Red Lightning? Raiden, what's going on?'_ He turned to the Cage family.

"Raiden," said Sonya. "What's wrong?"

"The Netherrealm. We need to act swiftly." He turned around and came face to face with me. "Phoenix Mason. Welcome back."

"And just in time for another fight. Why is my timing always so bad?"

"We're fortunate you arrived when you did. We may succeed this day."

"You gonna tell me what's going on?"

"The Netherrealm is a growing threat. With Shinnok gone, Liu Kang and Kitana have taken control of Netherrealm's forces," said Sonya. We walked into the SF command center.

"Before they become a threat to rival that of Shao Khan's during the Outworld Invasion. We must strike preemptively."

"They haven't done anything," I told him. "We shouldn't risk lives on something that could provoke an all-out war."

"We need to hit them before they hit us," said Sonya. "Make them realize that Earthrealm will not be invaded again."

"Phoenix," said Raiden. "We do what we must in order to protect Earthrealm." I sighed. _'War never changes.'_

"Cassie, you still have my com frequency, right?"

"Yeah."

"Give me a call if things go south, got me?"

"You're not coming," she asked me.

"I gotta get to Jax, make sure he's fine. If things go south, call the cavalry."

"Good luck," said Sonya.

"You too. Johnny's not going?"

"He's got a schedule to keep," said Cassie.

"Right." I surrounded myself with flames and found myself outside a quaint farmhouse. I went up to the door and knocked.

"Who's there," called a voice inside.

"You're favorite ninja! Well, second favorite." I smirked as the door opened.

"Technically, I don't care for ninjas in general. But for you and Takeda, I'll make an exception." He smiled and clapped me on my shoulder, almost breaking it. "Welcome back, kid."

"I ain't a kid anymore."

"And what makes you say that?"

"I got a kid of my own, Jax." I pulled out a wallet and showed him a picture of me and Alma when she was three. "That's Alma. My daughter."

"You're not that older than Jacquie and Cassie!"

"She's adopted. Her sperm donor known as her father was doing some… unspeakable things to her when she was born. Horrific tests, on an infant! Her mother had died in child birth, and I killed her father and his staff. Adopted her then and there."

"Damn. That's some story."

"Yeah, well… it was as I was going through some issues. Issues Alma helped me get out of just by being near me." I smiled and turned to him. Mind if I come in, Major?"

"Just call me Jax, Phoenix. I retired a couple of months ago."

"I heard what happened. I'm sorry, Jax. I know she and Jacquie were your rocks in life."

"You don't know the half of it. Vera was everything to me. And to lose her."

"I get it, Jax. I do. She helped you with therapy after coming back from being a Revenant. But you can't shut yourself off from the world, Jax. I'm sure Vera wouldn't want that." I stared at him unflinchingly as he grabbed my neck.

"Don't you dare say what she would've wanted! You didn't know her! Not like I knew her!"

"You're right. I didn't know her. But I've been in your position, Jax. Losing a loved one, feeling that grief. I felt it! When Shinnok invaded, he wiped out most of the Shirai Ryu! Including my girlfriend! I know what you're feeling, Jax. Shutting yourself away, that won't make the pain go away. You can't numb it with beer, or drugs." I kicked him away from me and got into a fighting stance as he growled and raised his arms into a boxers position. "And if you aren't willing to listen to my words, maybe my fists can knock some sense into you." Jax charged at me and tackled me to the ground, slamming my head down with his cybernetically enhanced fists. I kicked him off and pulled out a rope dart. I flung it at him and wrapped it around his neck before pulling him to the ground. I kicked his ribs, sending him into the air before kicking him across his living room.

Jax growled and picked up a minigrand piano before throwing it at me. It knocked me off my feet and to the ground he charged me again before grabbing me and sending a barrage of punches to my face and ribs. I managed to pry myself out of his grip and tackled him into a table, grabbing a bust and slamming it into his chest. The sound of cracking ribs filled the room as I jumped away from him. He popped his neck before getting back into a ready stance. I sent out my rope dart again, this time wrapping it around his legs before dragging him across the hardwood floor. I grabbed his head and slammed it into the ground a number of times before kicking him into the air and pulling the rope taut, slamming him into the ground again. Jax groaned as he tried to stand up, only to drop to a knee, dazed. "Alright. Alright," he said. "I give." I breathed out and helped him to his feet, using a bit of my magic to heal him and me.

Before I could say anything, my com blipped. "Phoenix," shouted Cassie on the other end. "Help!"

"Cass," I asked. "What's wrong?"

"It's Mom! She's trapped! I can't get her out!"

"Hold on, I'm on my way."

"Where are they," asked Jax.

"The very place you shouldn't be. Raiden led an attack on Shinnok's Bone Temple. Destroy the seat of power, ruin Liu Kang and Kitana's chances of attacking Earthrealm." I turned to him. "I'm dropping you off at the base. I need to go the Netherrealm and help them." I clapped him on the shoulder and, true to my word, left him at the SF base before appearing at the Bone Temple. Instantly, I could feel my Soul Magic being drained and corrupted by the foul realm. I spotted Cassie trying to dig through a massive pile of rubble. "Stand back!" She and Jacqui turned around and spotted me. I used my magic to lift the rubble off the ground and Sonya. Cassie and Jacqui hurried and got to Sonya, dragging her out, her bones broken from the waist down. The SF soldier left the collapsing temple and I got to the ladies. "Hang on!" I wrapped us in fire and teleported us beside Raiden before blasting an Oni that was charging him. He opened a portal back to Earthrealm as the Temple fell. I rushed us through as a spark of light followed us through without us noticing. I got to work healing Sonya as Raiden turned to us.

"Thank you, Phoenix Mason. Without your assistance…"

"Raiden, I am trying to heal broken bones, ruptured organs and numb her pain all at the same time. I need full concentration."

"Sonya," shouted Johnny as he and Jax ran over.

"I'm fine, Johnny," said Sonya, slightly pained. I finally stopped and turned to an SF soldier.

"Get her a medic! I've done all I can, but she'll need to be looked over thoroughly!" They nodded and ordered two other soldiers to get a stretcher. I turned to Cassie. "What happened in there?"

"We were setting up the charges under Shinnok's Shrine. In order to hold off the Oni, I set charges to delay their advances, making the structure weaken. Liu Kang dropped the ceiling on top of her and the soldiers she was with. She ordered us to leave, and that's when I called you." I sighed.

"Guess it's good thing I came when I did." I turned to Raiden and glared. "You almost got Sonya killed! One of Earthrealm's last champions! And you almost killed her!"

"This can wait," said Cassie. "We need to write up the mission report. Come on." I sighed as we followed her to the command center. I gripped my head just as I passed through the doorway.

"You ok," asked Johnny.

"Yeah, just been getting headaches since I returned. _'No doubt from whatever Chronika is doing.'_ I looked up as sand started filling the room and the building shook. "What the hell…?!" I looked through the sand and saw three figures. Three people I knew, just younger. Johnny Cage, Jax Briggs and Sonya Blade, all the same age as Cassie and Jacqui, stared at an older Johnny Cage and Jax Briggs, as well as Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs.

"By the Elder Gods," exclaimed Raiden. I turned around and saw him swallowed up by the sands.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"That's what I'd like to know," said a voice behind me. I turned around and spotted a woman dressed in white, glowing white eyes and a kriss dagger hanging from her belt. "This is… most unusual." I gripped my head again as I saw a vision of Outworld. An execution of a Nakandan known as the Kollector by the order of Kotal Khan, only for the vision to shatter.

"Dammit." I turned to Cassie. "Sort this out, I'll be right back!"

"Where are you going," she asked.

"Outworld." Using flames once more, I found myself in the Outworld Koliseum, standing behind a man with an old western style getup and a repeater rifle on his back. I arrived minutes before the Timequake started in Earthrealm. "Erron." The gunslinger turned around, surprised.

"Ain't you a sight for sore eyes. What brings you to these parts, Waco?"

"Something's wrong. We need to warn Kotal that something is going to interrupt this execution."

"How sure are you about that?"

"Sure as your trick shot."

"Damn. Alright, come on!" We made our way to Kotal's position in the arena. "Boss! We got a problem!" Kotal Khan turned around.

"Erron? Phoenix Mason?"

"Nice to see you too, Kotal," I said. "Listen, something big is about to happen." On que, the Timequake started up and sand started filling the Kolliseum. I watched as a woman with bright red hair, a younger Erron, a man with sharp teeth and bone spikes just jutting from the back of his wrist, a bald man with a cybernetic eye and a man with red and gold spiked armor came from a tornado of sand. Another tornado formed and a man of Chinese descent wearing a red bandana, a woman wielding a fan and wearing a blue skintight outfit, a man, also of Chinese descent wearing a blue tunic and a razor rimmed hat, a woman wearing green and carrying a staff and Raiden emerged from it. "Holy hell…"

"Kid," said Erron. "I think you took the words right outta my mouth." Kotal calmly looked around at the newcomers, recognizing all of them.

"Raiden? Shao Khan?" The man wearing red and gold armor looked to him.

"General Kotal?"

"Kotal Khan!"

"Khan?! Pathetic fool! You pretend to my throne!"

"It is mine! By right and deed! You were killed long ago, as was your repugnant Mileena!"

"We were at the Mortal Kombat Tournament," said Raiden. Kung Lao had just defeated Shang Tsung and Quan Chi."

"Yeah," I said. "For us, that happened about twenty years ago."

"For us, they happened only moments ago."

"What game are you playing, Raiden," shouted Shao Khan. "What magic powers this illusion?!"

"If this is an illusion it is one we all share."

"Past and future are colliding," I said as I met Raiden's gaze.

"Kitana," said Kotal. "Baraka, Skarlet! All Outworld Champions long since gone. If you have all returned, has…?"

"I'm here, Kotal," said the woman in green.

"Jade…"

"Touching reunion," I said. "It really is, but whatever is going on here, we can't let Shao Khan live."

"Agreed. But Osh-tek custom requires all refugees be offered assistance. I offer it to you, Shao Khan—"

"I am not a refugee! I am Khan!" I launched my rope dart at him and hit him square in the chest. I pulled myself to him, ready to remove his head when a red laser knocked me from the air. I groaned and looked up to see the man with the cyber eye standing over me.

"Sorry, champ. But he's payin' me the big bucks!"

"Black Dragon asshole. You know, the present you is much more cowardly. Must come with age." I charged and tackled him into a pit as fighting broke out between those loyal to each Khan. I kicked off of the man and launched two rope darts to the ground below him before pulling myself downwards and landing a double knee strike to his chest. "Come on Kano. I'm eager to see what kind of paradox I'll create by killing you here and now."

"Better men have tried!"

"Doubtful." I kicked him in the head before kicking him once again and sending him into the air. I sent a stream of flame up at him, only for him to barely dodge it as he spun in the air. He threw sand in my face and tackled me to the ground, driving a dagger into my side. I threw him off and pulled out the dagger as he grinned. I quickly wiped it off his face as I healed and hurled a rope dart at his chest, landing it dead center. "Get over here!" I pulled him towards me, and flip kicked him into the air once more before grabbing a dropped spear and throwing it at him as he fell. It impacted his shoulder and was driven in more as he landed. "Gift from the future, asshole!" I kicked him, knocking him out. Before I could even kill him, I saw Kotal being dragged down here with me in a pool of blood. I saw the blood form the red haired woman from before.

"Skarlet," said Kotal. "Still doing Shao Khan's bidding."

"Better to serve Shao Khan than to die in the streets," said Skarlet.

"Kotal, I'm heading up top to try and get Shao Khan. Can you handle her?"

"Of course. Go, hurry!" I rushed out of the Beast Pens and back up to the arena, ducking under a bone spike. "Baraka, right?!"

"You are right, human!"

"I heard you were ugly, but damn. Johnny really wasn't kidding when he said to picture a blender was put to the Predator's face." I sent out my rope darts, only for him to cut them with his bone spikes and dodge to the side. "Guess that's why sensei switched to chains…"

"Waco," called Erron from above. I looked up just in time to catch one of his revolvers.

"What no spare ammo?!"

"Kinda busy at the moment!" I saw him get kicked away from the edge by one of Shao Khan's soldiers.

"Damn. Oh well, six shots and a dream…" Baraka charged me, and I blocked a stab from his spikes, they barely deflected off of my Omni-Boy. "Hey! Watch the hardware!" I pistol whipped him across the jaw before shooting him three times in the chest. I grabbed his arm and brought it down on my shoulder, breaking it before grabbing a discarded shield and bashing him across the room into Skarlet with it. The momentary distraction gave Kotal an opening and he grabbed her before calling forth a beam of sunlight to hit her. Up top, I noticed Shao Khan fighting Raiden and spotted an amulet with blood dripping from it on his chest. I aimed the revolver and fired cutting the amulet off its chain. He grabbed for it but was kicked away by Raiden.

"No!" I snatched the amulet from the air and felt it start seeping into my own blood. I growled in pain as I used my magic to keep control and force it to bend to my will. At the same time, Skarlet gripped her head in pain. Shao Khan dropped to a knee and moved from Raiden as the Kollector attacked him. I walked to Skarlet and held the amulet over her.

"Submit or die, Skarlet."

"I… I submit!" The amulet glowed and she dropped to a knee before me as Kotal knocked out Baraka.

"Filthy Tarkatan!"

"Keep your racism in check, Kotal. They value blood as much as the Osh-tek do. Maybe even more so. Of course they sided with Mileena, she was created with Tarkatan blood. I warned you against exterminating them last time. Don't make the same mistake this time." I heard the doors slam open and got ready for a fight, only to see Jade standing there. She and Kotal went up to each other and shared a kiss. I chuckled for a second. "Time and a place, you two." I turned to the doorway as they banged up again and saw the young Erron. I fired two shots as he brought up his revolvers and knocked them from his grip. Before he could react, I threw the older Erron's revolver and knocked him out.

I picked it up and took the younger Erron's holsters before picking up his guns and putting them away. "We should get up there," said Kotal. "Capture Shao Khan and his followers before they kill anyone else."

"You sure you don't want to just kill him? With him alive again, he's got claim to the throne. Although, technically, this version of Shao was never killed by the Elder Gods to begin with. God I hate time travel." I turned to Skarlet. "You're coming with us. You follow my will. Understand?"

"Yes, master…"

"You took control of the Blood Code," asked Jade.

"With some difficulty, but yes."

"I didn't think it was possible."

"Yeah, well impossible is my area of expertise." The four of us made our way to the arena and I saw Shao Khan fighting Liu Kang. "There he is." I pulled out the revolvers and fired continuously before shooting his arms and making him drop his war hammer. "Skarlet, would you kindly capture that hammer from your former master?" Reluctantly, the Sanguimancer did as I asked as Kotal approached his predecessor. I gripped my head as time bled information into my mind. I didn't get full scenes, only flashes. I groaned as they stopped. "Dammit, the Raiden Experience. Better not fuck this up." I watched as Kotal beat Shao. I spotted sand in the Beast Pen and saw the knocked out fighters disappear in sand portals. I looked up as bugs started flying in.

"D'Vorah," said Kotal. I burned bugs as they tried to swarm me and Skarlet.

"Shao Khan," shouted the bug woman. "To me!" Shao and his remaining followers ran through the sand portal. I unloaded bullets at them as they ran through and hit D'Vorah in the shoulder. She growled at me before the portal closed. I gave the guns a flourish before holstering them.

"You missed all but one shot, Waco," said Erron as he walked up to me.

"I don't dual wield, Aim's always off." I handed back his revolver. "By the way, the younger you is a cocky little shit."

"Tell me something I don't already know."

"Kotal Khan," said Raiden. "I am Raiden, Protector of Earthrealm."

"We know who you are, Raiden," I said as I stood between him and Kotal. "We fought together to defeat Shinnok."

"Shinnok's been defeated?"

"I'll explain more when we get back to Earthrealm. You can't stay here long, remember? Especially not with this crisis." He turned to his champions.

"He is right. Kung Lao, Liu Kang, help Kotal Khan however you can." I surrounded myself in white flames as he used his lightning to take him to Earthrealm. I appeared in the command center of the SF compound and Cassie ran up to me. "What happened?"

"Time is being distorted. I'm going to be honest I was sent back here because of it." She looked around and spotted everything was paused. "This is me, not whatever is going on."

"So, this Council you work for felt something was wrong?"

"Not just felt, saw. Time is being fractured. Not just here, but other worlds as well. I'm here dealing with the largest threat first. The fate of an entire Multiverse. I'm gonna need your help while I'm here. While you speak with Raiden, I need to check on the Shirai Ryu."

"Good luck."

"Thanks." I disappeared from her view and found myself in a Nexus Void. One created for the use of the Kamidogu. "Why am I here?"

"There is much we need to speak about," I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Shinnok…" I sent my remaining rope dart at him and hit him squarely in the chest. "**Come Here**" I pulled him towards me and punched him squarely in the face. "You've evaded me for too long bastard!"

"I didn't come here to fight you, Insect!"

"Then being here is a big mistake!" I kicked him in the chest and sent a blast of energy at him. He evaded and growled.

"Fine. Since Kombat is inevitable, it seems I'll have to dirty my hands with your blood."

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Sorry, gotta leave things here. You'll have to wait for the showdown between Verser and Elder God. So sorry about that, but these chapters I'm keeping under a certain word count for this series, just so I can make things progress how I need them to. Sorry if the fights seem short, going by realism, not game mechanics. So consider this a single round option from the old Midway games. Leave a thought on how this first chapter went and what you think will happen in the future. Until next time, Y'all!**


	2. Chapter 2

I charged at Shinnok; fists covered in white flames. He blocked my attack and grabbed my arm, attempting to throw me into the pedestal where one would place the Kamidogu. I threw him off and blasted him with a stream of fire. He growled and kicked me in the head before summoning a giant skeletal hand to hold me in place. As I struggled to get free, he closed the distance between us and stabbed a dagger he had hidden in his robes several times in my chest. The hand then slammed me into the ground, and Shinnok chuckled smugly. "10,000 years of training and still inferior to a true god."

"Keep telling yourself that," I said as I pulled my rope taut, tripping him up. I whistled as I used my magic to start healing my wounds. The sound of galloping hooves filled the Nexus Void. Shinnok looked around for the source and found it in the form of a black horse with glowing red eyes forming from shadow and charging straight for him. He tried backing up but was too slow. Shadowmere reared up and slammed his hooves onto the Fallen Elder God. As Shadowmere backed off, I unleashed a volley of bullet fire from the revolvers I took from the younger Erron Black. I slung them back into their holsters before activating the Omni-Boy and transforming into Ignis, my white Pyronite form. I surrounded him in a circle of flames before closing it on him, burning him from head to toe.

"Stop! I yield!" I dropped the flames and returned to normal as I advanced on him, my guard up. I placed him in a stasis field and grinned as I called the Citadel.

"Gareth! I've apprehended Conqueror Shinnok."

"Conqueror," asked Shinnok. "An apt title for us."

"You've what," asked Gareth. "How?!"

"He has me in the Kamidogu Nexus Void. He's in a stasis field right now, ready for pickup to the Shadow Vault."

"I've escaped once. I'll do so again. Oh, if only you could kill me. That's probably what you're thinking right now."

"To quote Raiden," I formed an axe out of shadow and took off Shinnok's head. "There are fates worse than death." I noticed a purple portal appear behind me and Tyra come through. I handed her Shinnok's head. "Sorry. But I still need to deal with Chronika." She held the head as far from her as her hand could go.

"This is disgusting."

"Deal with it." I put Shinnok's body on a pike as a warning to anyone who tried accessing the Nexus Void and took his Amulet from it. "Tyra. Should I be getting visions of possible events?"

"In a time fracture? Yes. The events have already happened. Your presence is basically making you experience what happened before hand and make alterations while it's still able to be manipulated. You're seeing echoes."

"Then it's almost exactly like Raiden. Great."

"Almost, but you've got an advantage. You were given a portion of mine and Kira's power. You can affect things better than Raiden ever could."

"Got that going for me, at least. I need to check on Sensei."

"Phoenix…"

"What's up?"

"…Whatever happens. Don't lose yourself in there."

"Don't go soft on my account, Tyra. I'll start thinking you care."

"Just… remember what I said." With that, she went back through her portal and I surrounded myself with white flames before I found myself in a familiar area. A simple Japanese garden with vibrant red trees. I smiled as I looked around.

"Considering you're here," said a voice behind me. "I can only assume whatever is going on around the realm is that bad."

"I'd visit more often, but then I'd just end up staying." I turned around and found myself face to face with a young man, Jacqui's age, of Japanese descent. He wore cybernetic armor and had a blue bandana on his forehead. "Jacqui keeping you in check, Takeda?"

"Do I need to be?"

"Considering you were more of a hothead than Ji-San, yeah. I'd say so."

"Why is it that the world needs to be in crisis for me to see either of you," said someone behind Takeda. We turned to the newcomer, a man in his early thirties of Japanese descent wearing a yellow gi and two swords, one a Kodachi, the second a tanto, hanging from his waist. He also had chains wrapped around his arms. "And it seems you're time away from home has dulled your manners!" Me and Takeda bowed before him.

"Hai, Sensei Hasashi," we said at the same time. He grunted before walking to us.

"Let's see if time away from home has dulled your sense of Kombat!" He kicked me away from him. I sent out my rope dart and hit a post beside him before pulling me to him. At the same time, Takeda tried to sweep his legs out from under him. Sensei Hasashi jumped out of the way and kicked Takeda to the ground before grabbing my rope and throwing me to the ground. I quickly got up and blocked a strike from behind before kicking my Sensei away and hitting my rope dart to his chest while he was recovering.

"**Get over here**," I shouted as I pulled him to me. He growled as I kicked him into the air and Takeda sent out mechanical whips to pull him to the ground.

"Mockery will get you nowhere, Phoenix."

"Mimicry is the greatest form of flattery, Sensei. Get with the times!" I took another page from his book and disappeared in flames before striking him from behind, knocking him towards Takeda who delivered two successive kicks to Sensei's head. Takeda grinned before he found himself pulled up into a tree by a hidden trap. I jumped and found Sensei's foot meeting my head. He'd anticipated my moves and kicked me away from him. I shot out my rope dart again, this time wrapping it around his leg and pulling it out from under him as he got back into his ready stance. The second he was down I was on him and had a hidden dagger pulled from my sleeve pressed to his neck. At the same time, I felt something sharp pressed against my side, aimed right at my kidney.

"Well done," said Sensei Hasashi as I helped him and Takeda cut himself down. "You've both improved since I last saw you. But, Takeda! You're spending too much time reading minds to notice your surroundings! And Phoenix, you rely too much on a single weapon, and you're tactics are still a mirror image of my own!"

"To be fair, a lot of things I improvised along the way. Like using the Johyo to trip you up, a tactic you still refuse to use. As for my tactics, at least I'm not a two trick pony. Also, I'm down a Johyo. Baraka cut the rope on my second one."

"Baraka," asked Takeda. "I thought he and the rest of the Tarkatans were dead."

"This Time Quake thing has brought them back. Strangely, Reptile is nowhere to be seen. Nor is Mileena or Ermac."

"That's good. We don't need those three added to the mix. Ermac could wipe the floor with us by himself. It's a wonder we managed to beat him when we fought him."

"Your girlfriend is who we can thank for that. The Briggs have a huge grudge against that specter." My com beeped and I answered it. "Go ahead."

"Phoenix," called Jacqui. "Did you make it to the Gardens? Is Takeda…?"

"Oh, Jacqui it's horrible!" Takeda gave me a look.

"What's wrong?!"

"Takeda's just as ugly and bland as ever!" I chuckled as she growled slightly, and Takeda hit my shoulder. "Relax, Briggs. He's fine. What's the situation back there?"

"We've detected a Netherrealm incursion at the Wu Shi Academy," said Cassie. "Kung Lao and Liu Kang have been called back to help deal with the threat. We need you to back them up. Is Grandmaster Hasashi there?"

"I am here, Cassandra," said Sensei. "What do you need?"

"We've got a problem. Grandmaster Kuai Liang has reported that the Lin Kuei have been attacked. Several warriors have been abducted and taken to the old Cyber Lin Kuei Factory. We need you to meet him there and help take it down."

"I'll be on my way." He turned to me and Takeda before clapping Takeda on the shoulder. "Takeda, defend the Gardens with your fellow Shirai Ryu while me and Phoenix assist the others."

"Hai, Sensei!"

"I need to get my armor. Phoenix, if you find your mission completed quickly enough, meet up with me and Sub-Zero. I believe you have the coordinates in that device of yours?"

"Yes, Sensei. I'll meet up with you as soon as I'm done protecting the Dragon Grotto. Takeda." I tossed one of my private com devices to him. "Give Jacqui a call, she's worried sick. And invite me to the Blood Ceremony."

"I wasn't going through with that," said Takeda.

"She marries you," said Sensei. "She marries the Shirai Ryu." I grinned and surrounded myself in flames before appearing behind Liu Kang and Kung Lao.

"I don't believe it," said Kung Lao. "I die in the Kolliseum! You get killed by Raiden on some rooftop! Our futures, Liu Kang. They are…"

"Not inevitable," I said, making them jump. "Odds are, we're going to face your counterparts, so I'll tell you the full story of what happened. This chain of events you were living in before the time-merger is our second run through time. Armageddon had come at the hands of Shao Khan and Raiden, in a desperate attempt to stop it, sent visions to his past self of events to come. Raiden only got flashes, however. In his attempt to interpret his future self's message of 'He must win' he tried to make changes to the timeline. But time always pushes back. Certain things are fixed points, other things result in darker outcomes. For example, the reason Kung Lao, my Kung Lao, the Revenant one, was killed was because he didn't mortally wound Shao Khan in their fight. He became overly confidant and turned his back on Shao Khan like a fool."

"And what of me," asked Liu Kang. "What resulted in my death?"

"The original you from the first timeline was killed by the Deadly Alliance. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. The second timeline you was killed on accident by Raiden. In order to stop Shao Khan, he needed to come through to Earthrealm and begin merging the realms. He needed to win and here's why. He didn't win the Mortal Kombat Tournament, he had no right to do so. Raiden found this out from Shinnok after trying to get everyone back. He was about to face Shao Khan with the powers granted by the Elder God's but Liu Kang was out for blood. Hours earlier, Kitana's mother, Sindel, had killed all of Earthrealm's protectors besides Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade and Liu Kang himself. Even Kitana was killed, which is why Liu Kang was angry. He attacked Raiden and Raiden defended himself, the resulting clash of elements killing Liu Kang as a regrettable result."

"How do you know all of this," asked Kung Lao.

"Field reports from Sonya and Johnny, as well as Raiden's own admittance. Also… I'm not from Earthrealm, well not this version of Earthrealm, anyway. I'm a Verser, technically a god from another world. I work for the Council, a group of entities who oversee the balance of the Metaverse, a group of alternate worlds and timelines. Technically they watch over all of them, but a few worlds they have no jurisdiction in. Like the worlds overseen by the Elder Gods and other Pantheons. They can't enter of interfere with these worlds, so they have me. A mortal turned entity who works for the Metaverse itself. I'm an anomaly to this world."

"So how do Cassandra and the others know you," asked Liu Kang.

"I told them the truth during Shinnok's second invasion. The Shirai Ryu already knew. Our allies needed to as well."

"You're part of the Shirai Ryu," asked Kung Lao, fingers gripping the tip of his hat.

"The reformed Shirai Ryu, under the leadership of Grandmaster Hasashi. He's not the hell spawn you know from your time anymore. He has led the New Shirai Ryu towards a path of honor. Think twice before you throw that razor rimmed hat at me, monk."

"We can't waste time fighting each other," said Liu Kang. "We need to get to the Dragon Grotto." I nodded and went first. We stopped as we saw the slew of bodies of the monks of the White Lotus in the courtyard of the Academy.

"Dammit." I ran to the entrance to the Dragon Grotto and led the way down. I turned into white flames and flew passed the swinging guillotine trap. I stopped at a chamber, feeling myself being watched and waiting for the two monks to get passed the trap. When they finally caught up, Kung Lao turned to me.

"You know this place is dangerous and filled with traps, right?"

"It's not my first time here. Me and Cassie defeated Shinnok down here." I pushed the monk down as a Kusari-Kunai sailed at his head and embedded in a post behind him. "Sensei…" I turned to our attacker and found a sight I dreaded seeing. Scorpion. Hanzo Hasashi during his time as a Netherrealm wraith. I turned to the monks. "Disable the traps! I'll handle him!" I turned to Scorpion and brought out my own Johyo, deflecting the kunai as it sailed at me. "Stand down, Scorpion."

"Who are you," asked the wraith.

"Phoenix Mason. Chujin of the Shirai Ryu."

"You cannot be Shirai Ryu, you are gaijin!"

"And yet you allowed me to join the clan." I threw my Johyo at him and it wrapped around his neck. I pulled myself to him and kicked him in the head. He appeared behind me and stabbed his kunai into my side. I hit him away and healed slightly before grabbing his kunai as it sailed at my chest and wrapped it around a spear stuck in the ground. As he tried to pull it free, I appeared behind him and wrapped my rope around his neck, pulling taut. He struggled to get free and elbowed me in the head, knocking me away. I whistled and Shadowmere galloped into the chamber, trampling over Scorpion. I threw rope dart out, aiming for his chest as he stood up. He ducked and breathed fire on me before swinging his kunai, striking me several times. I growled and surrounded my fists and legs in flames before appearing above him. I unleashed a volley of punches before knocking him across the room. He got up, sluggishly, and got to a ready stance again as gas started filling the chamber. He disappeared in a whirl of flames.

"We can't stop the traps," said Liu Kang as he and Kung Lao ran over to me. I looked up and jumped out of the way as a cage came down. I looked around and heard footsteps coming from the Jinsei chamber. Scorpion returned, following Revenant Jade.

"Great, evil eye candy is here."

"I see you've returned, Phoenix."

"Yep, just in time to kick your ass, Zombie Bitch." I turned around as the cage was lifted up. "Three against two. Big mistake." I grunted as I was pulled into a portal by a kunai embedded in my back. I grunted as I turned around and found myself face to face with a man who seemed to be in his nineties. "Shang Tsung?"

"So, you're this Soul Mage, Chronika told me about."

"And you're the Soul Stealer I've never had the opportunity to kill. Souls are sacred, and for you to take them for yourself, means I need to wipe you out right now."

"Go ahead and try, boy!" I ducked under a flaming skull as it was fired at me, only to be hit by another own aimed at my legs. I growled used my magic to disrupt the ground beneath him. As he stumbled I sent a blast of white fire at him, my body hiding in the shadows it created. As he brought up a wall of skulls to protect himself, I popped out of its shadow and punched him twice in the face before landing a knee to his chest. As he was knocked way, I hit his chest with my Johyo and pulled him back before flip kicking him upward and unloading a hail of gunfire at him with the revolvers. He staggered and I lashed out with my Johyo, wrapping it around his neck as I pulled him towards me. I kicked his legs out from under him and stabbed him with my hidden dagger. He grunted and tried stealing a portion of my soul, and my magic, to heal himself. I kicked him away, keeping his Soul Stealing magic as far away from my Soul Magic as possible.

"Afraid of me, boy?"

"Afraid of what you'll do if you get your hands on my magic, Monster."

"Then let's see if you can prevent me from learning all of your tricks, Mr. Mason."

"Bring it on, old man." I watched as he summoned a servant and absorbed his soul. I looked around and finally noticed he'd brought me to his island. As I was distracted, he sent a volley of flaming skulls at me. I thought quickly and brought up an Anti-Magic Barrier and watched it absorb the skulls and a bit of Shang Tsung's strength. I looked at him before surrounding him with Barriers without him noticing. He fired out another skull, only to see it disappear a foot away from him. This was enough. He felt his magic start to be drained. I watched as his age started to increase and he dropped to his knees. I dropped the Barriers and stood before him as he stared up at me. "Rot in the Netherrealm, Sorcerer." I ignited white flames on my hands and sent a massive stream to him, burning him to cinders. I kicked the charred remains that were his ashes apart and dusted off the leg of my jeans. I sent myself back to the Grotto and made my way down to the Jinsei. I saw Kung Lao and Liu Kang had just gotten there and a man was gathering the waters of the Jinsei.

"They said you'd come," said the man as he continued collecting the waters in vials.

"They," asked Kung Lao.

"Who do you think, Kung Lao," said a voice further in the Jinsei Chamber. We turned and saw the Revenant versions of Kung Lao and Liu Kang.

"Oh great, it's Attack of the Clones. You guys handle your evil twins. Baldy's mine." I sent out my Johyo and snagged the bandolier from him before storing it in shadow. "Sorry! No life energy for you!" I squared my shoulders as he calmly walked to me. "So what do I call you?"

"I am Geras. Faithful servant of Chronika."

"Well you're about to be a dead servant of Chronika." I coated the Johyo in shadow and sent it flying at him. He held up his arm to block it and screamed out as he felt a sudden pain in his arm. He watched it fall to the ground. I grinned as I pulled it back, revealing the shadows had formed a blade. He picked up his arm and I watched as it turned to sand and was back to normal. "Fucking cheater!" I charged at him and sent him flying with an upper cut before hitting him in the chest with the Johyo and slamming him into the ground. As he got up, I appeared behind him and went for a kick, only for him to grab my boot and throw me away. I quickly got up and found him tackling me before punching my head. He then tried to reverse my time only to find I was unaffected. I kicked him away from me and fired five shots from one of the revolvers. He grinned as he slowly walked to me. _'What is this guy? Some kind of Temporal Terminator?'_ I gripped my head as I saw flashes of him get killed by Kung Lao only to come back with more strength. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and was distracted long enough for Geras to sink me down into sand before lifting me up and slamming me with sandstone hammers. I groaned as I stood up, Liu Kang and Kung Lao running to my side as Geras stood a few feet away. Kung Lao threw his hat and lobbed off Geras' head.

"That was easy." We watched as Geras' head turned to sand and was soon back on his body. He rose as I turned to the overconfident monk.

"You had to open your big mouth." Geras looked at us.

"I am a fixed point in time." He cracked his neck. "With every death and rebirth, I grow stronger."

"The vials are secure. Take this guy out!" We charged Geras and he blocked our strikes before redirecting them. I managed to kick him away from us and trap him in shadow from the neck down. I kicked him and knocked him out. Since you can't be killed. We should keep you contained." I tapped a button on my Omni-Boy. "One for the Shadow Vault. Immortal Fixed Point in Time. Designation: Geras." Tyra's portal opened and she walked through. I pulled Geras from the shadows and dragged him to the portal. "Give him a nice kick when you lock him away."

"Don't tell me what to do. Also, Shinnok is away, but he wants to speak with you."

"Like that bastard wants to do anything else but taunt or trick us. Let him tire out whatever is left of his vocal chords."

"Would you please come here, so I can get him to shut up."

"He's not in the Vault?"

"No. He's in a cell Gareth made." She nodded to the Revenants. "What about them?" I turned to them and blinked as I noticed flames were paused.

"Tyra. Get through the portal, now!" She seemed to notice something was wrong as well and quickly went through, Geras forgotten and left on the ground. I turned around as I felt someone staring at me. "You must be Chronika. So, I finally get to meet the bitch who's fucking with Time." I turned around and came face to face with my target.

"I don't know anything about you. You're an anomaly who shouldn't be here."

"Yeah. I tend to be a monkey wrench in a lot of evil plans. And whatever you're doing is cracking time. That's about as evil as you can get besides Genocide."

"I detected you during my son's defeat but could not tell what you were."

"Perks of being me. Now to stop you!" I covered my fists with white flames and soared towards her as flintlock weapons appeared in my hands, ready to deal with her powers.

"Powerful as you may be…" Chronika waved her hand and I found myself frozen in place. "You cannot hope to beat me."

"Zaf…" I was flung backwards and into a wall as a shadow rose from the ground, holding the bandolier of vials. I struggled to sit up to look at them as I noticed Noob Saibot hand the vials to Chronika before they all disappeared in the blink of an eye. Kung Lao and Liu Kang looked around and saw me against one of the walls of the Grotto.

"What happened," asked Liu Kang.

"Found out who's pulling the strings. She seems to be a Time deity, explaining the merger. And she just kicked my ass." I stood up. I used my limited power over space and opened a portal back to the SF compound. "You two head back, notify the General and Raiden when he gets back. I need to help Sensei."

"Are you gonna be ok by yourself," asked Kung Lao.

"I've got backup. Now get going!" They nodded and went through. I held the portal open for a bit longer as I called for Skarlet. She ran through and I saw she'd done he hair up in a ponytail and had removed her mask. I closed the portal as soon as she came through and groaned. "Like the look." Skarlet said nothing. I handed her a dagger. "Stab that into my shoulder and take some of my blood, Skarlet."

"Why?"

"It's Nephilim blood. You won't find anything like it. For Sanguimancers like yourself it's a blood magic gold mine. Go ahead." She eagerly stabbed my shoulder and gathered up my blood.

"It's silver?"

"Enriched by Soul Magic." I healed up. "Consider that incentive to not betray me. Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"The old Cyber Lin Kuei factory. We've got a job to do"


	3. Chapter 3

I stood above Sub Zero, Skarlet behind me, as he observed the Cyber Lin Kuei facility. He turned around, feeling a presence behind him. "You're getting deaf with old age, Sub Zero," said Sensei Hasashi.

"I heard your footsteps coming up behind me. And your student seems to think he and his companion don't make noises from their perch above us.

"Dammit," I muttered before jumping down next to them. "I've gotten sloppy. You shouldn't have heard me up there."

"Your breathing is uneven. You've been in a fight recently."

"That would be Chonika's doing. She's the one behind this. She's a Titan of Time and her power slammed me into a wall before I could do anything. I think one of my ribs is broken."

"Then you should retreat and heal," said Hanzo.

"I'm fine. Skarlet, get down here, please." Kuai Liang and Hanzo got into ready stances.

"Why is she here," asked Kuai Liang. "She works for Shao Khan."

"Not anymore." I held up the amulet I took off of Shao Khan. "This is the Outworld Kamidogu. With this, Skarlet is Bound to the Blood Code." Both Grandmasters cringed, remembering the term. "One can control those bound to the Blood Code as long as they can control the Kamidogu. I took this off of Shao Khan. Skarlet is now bound to me. She is an ally." She stared down the two Grandmasters before making her way to the facility.

"She's a woman of few words," said Kuai Liang.

"True. But I think she prefers not conversing with anyone. Let's go." We followed after Skarlet and made our way into the facility. Once entering, it didn't take long before we encountered a room of discarded bodies. "Fucking bastards."

"We'll avenge them," Hanzo told Kuai Liang. The Cryomancer nodded and we made our way further into the facility. We found where they were putting the brains of the Lin Kuei into the cybernetic bodies and I wanted nothing more than to burn this place down once and for all.

"This is where the magic happens. So, how the hell do we stop this facility?"

"I've got a man on the inside," said Kuai Liang. Hearing footsteps, we got behind cover as Cyrax, a hooded figure and two Cyber Lin Kuei walked into the room. I noticed the bandolier of Jinsei vials was in the figures hand as Kuai Liang and Hanzo discussed how to get Cyrax back onto our side. I looked around, knowing who took the vials from me in the first place."

"We've got a problem. Noob Saibot is here."

"Bi Han," asked Kuai Liang. I nodded and turned to the people in front of the assembly line.

"You two handle Cyrax. Cloak and Dagger is mine." I turned to Skarlet. "Keep your eyes open for anyone else and alert us if they get in." Skarlet nodded and I walked out behind the figure before destroying the two Cyber Lin Kuei and grabbing them in a full nelson. Cyrax turned around and was attacked by the two Grandmasters. "Before anyone can do the same to me…" I opened a portal back to Shang Tsung's island, this time in the bowels of Goro's Lair, the Well of Souls beside us. They broke free and I only managed to grab hold of the cloak. I dropped it as they turned to me and dropped into a ready stance, only to drop their guard. "Frost?"

"Phoenix?"

* * *

**(Alma's POV)**

While Dad's copy fast asleep in the zombie world I decided we should visit, I used my PipBoy to open a portal back to the Citadel. I arrived in the Central Chamber and saw Gareth combing over the map of the Metaverse provided by the Fate Note. I noticed several cracks in the map, including one I remembered Dad saying was a place he called a true home in his travels. I climbed on top of his ridiculous throne and peered over his shoulder. "Phoenix better be careful," muttered Gareth. "He won't like what is going to happen." I watched events in the cracks start playing, a man in yellow garbs under metal armor getting stabbed by what looked like insectoid pincers.

"What's going on," I asked. Gareth jumped and closed the Fate Note before turning to me. "Anything I can help with?"

"No. I thought you were having a 'father daughter trip'."

"Came back to check on something."

"Whatever it is, leave me alone!"

"Alright, geez! Ungrateful for free labor much…" I walked away and roamed around the Citadel before I found a new room that hadn't been there previously. I went in and looked around. "Where did this place come from?"

"Your Manifestation of Life created it. Just for me," said a voice in the room. I looked around until I found the source. A pale white head, blood oozing where the rest of his body should be. I recognized him immediately.

"You're one of the Losers."

"And you're the runt who gave my allies a hard time during our raid on the Citadel. Alma, I believe."

"Your name was Shinnok, right?"

"Indeed it was. I tried to converse with your father, but he's too stubborn. Too set in his ways to listen to me. Are you the same way?"

"Sorry. But I don't talk to strangers, Loser." I turned back to the door.

"Even if all of reality is at stake?" I paused. "I knew that would get your attention. After his return, we followed your father's trail. We saw how he trained you to limit your abilities and how to make sure reality is balanced and stable. If my mother succeeds, her definition of balance will change all of reality."

"Your mother?" I turned to him.

"Chronika. The former Manifestation of Time. She's attempting to rewrite time. Starting from this version of my world and working her way out. I tried to tell your father I was going to help. But you can see how well that went."

"Why should I believe you? She's your mother."

"But her preferred 'balance' is not something I want. Eternal war. Stagnation. I can't get closer to my goals if that happens. So I need to stop her. Her influence has already succeeded once, killing Liu Kang. But your father has traveled to her past and is altering her history, disrupting her power. But he can't beat her. Not without my knowledge."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I hope you are more sensible than your father. He claims to know what's best for you but limits your powers."

"He does that to protect me. Prevent me from becoming… well me…"

"But maybe that's precisely who you are. Who you need to be."

"That version of me is deranged. Evil…"

"Evil is subjective, young Alma. There's no such thing. As my fellow Conqueror says, 'There is no good or evil. Only power and those unwilling to use it.' I can tell you are very powerful. Why not use it to defeat my mother. Save your father from death. For if he faces her, he will die."

"Dad won against you Losers. He can beat her."

"Maybe he can. But are you willing to risk everything on a maybe. Strong as your father is, he still thinks like a mortal. Not like a god."

"That's why Dad will win. He's more human than any of you 'gods'. Rot in here, Shinnok."

"You should listen to me, Alma Mason! I'm trying to help you!"

"FUCK OFF!" I slammed the door behind me and turned around to see Tsukiko standing in front of me.

"What were you doing in there," she asked.

"Saw a new door, went exploring. Found that Loser, Shinnok's head in there."

"I thought you and Phoenix were on a trip."

"I came to check on something." Tsukiko must've sensed something was off because she kneeled in front of me.

"What's wrong?"

"He told me Daddy was going to fail. That he can't beat Chronika, Shinnok's mother. Not without his help."

"Don't trust a word that bastard says. Pardon my language. You know him better than everyone here. You know he's not about to lose against some Titan. Your father's got this."

"The way he was speaking, it was like he knew what was going to happen."

"Shinnok is a liar and manipulator. Phoenix told all of this based on his encounter with the Shinnok of the world he's in now. This one is no different."

"Part of being a good manipulator is knowing when to tell the truth. Dad's had to do that a number of times."

"Did he tell you how often?" I shook my head. Tsukiko sighed. "You should head back to the world you're having your trip in. Your father will worry."

"I still need to check on something, then I'll head back."

"Ok, then." She kissed my head and walked away. I looked back at the door before heading to Gallio's lab. Seeing the scientist wasn't there, I went to my secret project and found it wasn't there.

"Looking for something," asked Gallio behind me. I turned around and saw he was holding my project. A helmet to block out negative emotions properly at the sake of my psionic abilities. "Why were you building this?"

"So I could visit Mama Stocking without Daddy having to help me. And so I could get to worlds Daddy doesn't have time to visit."

"Your father can literally be everywhere at once."

"But he misses things! Little things I've noticed! If I can get to those worlds, I can help!"

"And what happens when your helmet gets loose or breaks? What will you do then?" I paused. I really hadn't taken that into consideration. He looked at the helmet. "An inverse of Magneto's helmet, huh? Not bad." He placed it on a workbench. "Give me some time, I'll make a better, more practical design."

"Thanks, Uncle Gallio!"

"I'm not your uncle. Now get out of my lab. I've got work to do."

"All you do is sit around and make failures all day."

"I said get out." He slammed the door behind me as I left.

"What's his problem?"

"His time's almost up," said Sarah behind me. I turned around and saw her holding out a candy bar to me. I took it as I walked beside her.

"What do you mean?"

"Eternity told me that Gallio's time as Manifestation is coming to an end. It's why he's been producing more failures recently."

"And I just joked about it… I feel bad."

"Don't. You didn't know. He's started making a list of potential replacements. Wants your father to decide who gets the job after Gallio is returned to his world."

"And where is that?"

"One of the closed off worlds. The Holy Grails."

"He's from there?!" Sarah nodded. "His real name is one I'm sure you're familiar with. He was known as the 'Father of Science'." I stared at her as she kept walking. I hurried to catch up to her. "Wait, but he knows so much about modern technology!"

"Part of being the Manifestation. It's the same for all of us, save Gareth and Denise. Life and Death are always going to be both known and unknown. Fate is also in that category, but luck is not. Balance, in a sense."

"What about Time and Space?"

"Those are tricky. Just know that as long as they're together, things are fine. If they're apart, start praying, and hope Gareth has a solution."

"Because his ideas are always good ones."

"Sometimes they are. If anyone knows how to manipulate things to how we need, it's him."

"Why tell me this?"

"So that you know what to expect when our times come."

"I don't want to think about that…"

"Sorry kid. But change is inevitable, no matter where you go." She led me to the Central Chamber where Gareth was still muttering to himself. "And he's back to crazy. It's like clockwork."

"Crazy?"

"Life is crazy sometimes. Remember, we're Manifestations. In every form."

"What's to stop him from killing us?"

"The other aspects of life. As well as Denise, being Death."

"Would Sheogorath be a good…"

"Don't finish that sentence. That guy is beyond crazy." She opened a portal back to the zombie world and smiled at me. "Kill some Z's for me, Alma!"

"Will do!" I went through and found Dad, still asleep where I left him, a zombie crawling to him. On instinct, he raised a pneumatic rifle and launched a javelin at its head, ending it. "How does he do that," I whispered.

"Years of practice," he said as he turned to me, making me jump. "Why're you up?"

"Had to pee."

"Thought you went before we fell asleep."

"I had a lot to drink."

"Well, it's almost dawn, anyway. Let's get to… GAH!" I rushed to him as he clutched his arm. I watched as it looked like it was being burned by acid.

"What's going on?!"

"Reptile…"

* * *

**(Phoenix's POV)**

I rushed forward and pulled Frost to me, getting her into a hug she reluctantly returned. Shortly after attacking the Grandmasters, years ago, I went to her as she was packing whatever belongings she had from before her time in the Lin Kuei. I helped her work through her anger towards Kuai Liang, and her blind hatred of the Shirai Ryu. Sensei had brought me along, just in case Kuai Liang tried something. I was meditating nearby when she attacked. As the Grandmasters started fighting because of her attack, I held her back, so she didn't try anything else once the issue was resolved. I remembered her from my time in a fight club with Cassie. We soon became friends.

I felt the metal that was now her body and held her at arm's length. "What the hell did you do?"

"I… upgraded. Chronika promised I was to lead the Lin Kuei in the New Era, if I led her Cyber Lin Kuei to defend her Hourglass."

"She'll never keep that promise, and you know it. She's using you, Frost! And I thought you were over the Lin Kuei."

"Chronika helped me see otherwise. Said it was my destiny."

"Another lie." I sighed and turned to her. "What exactly did she tell you?"

"That without Sub Zero, I was the true leader of the Lin Kuei."

"Except it's a lie. Hydro is next in line for the title of Grandmaster. He and Sub Zero are the last of the students trained by Sektor's father, the former Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. Chronika is manipulating you to get what she wants. An era of endless war. And I doubt she was planning on letting anyone get their way in this 'New Era'." I heard a hiss and moved Frost away as acidic spit sailed passed us.

"Stand aside, human," snarled Reptile. "She's working for Chronika!"

"And you're not?!"

"Chronika tried to offer me the same deal as the others, but I knew she couldn't keep her promise. Zaterra still lies in ruins from being merged with Outworld! Her words are nothing but poison! And anyone who follows her will die!"

"_My_ offer still stands, Reptile. I can restore Zaterra and your people! You just have to trust me!"

"Your words are as trustworthy as Chronika's!" He spat more acid at me, and I raised a slab of earth to protect us. "I will see you melt, human!" I moved Frost behind me and summoned my duster, turning it into a bladed shield.

"Frost, back me up, please."

"I'll try!" I threw the shield and controlled it to circle around Reptile, limiting his movements. He snarled and spit acid over the shield, forcing me to recall it to quickly block the projectile. Reptile tried jumping towards me to get an attack in only for Frost to throw something at him. I turned around and saw she threw her own head.

"Ok, that's all kinds of fucked up!"

"Can you focus on the fight?!" I turned back around and found Reptile's tongue around my neck. "Look out!"

"Thanks, Captain Obvious!" He pulled me to him and started biting down on my head. "Ow, ow, ow!" I kicked him away. "Hey! No biting! This ain't a kids martial arts tournament!" I slammed my shield into his chest before upper cutting him with the shield, knocking him into the air. I through the shield and charged after it. Reptile stood up and was hit in the chest by the shield, followed by a knee to the face by me. He snarled and spat acid on my shoulder, making me cry out in pain as I felt it across multiple clones throughout the Metaverse. "What the hell…?"

Reptile gave me no time to think, however, as he tripped me up with his tongue before sending several kicks to my injured side. I growled and surrounded myself in flame as Frost sent missiles of ice, hitting him square in the chest. I charged him down and flip kicked him in the air. I grabbed my shield, wrapped the Johyo around it and swung it around, hitting him several times before pulling it back and standing between him and Frost as he stumbled. He fell to the ground, dazed, and I walked over to him as I slowly heal everything but the burns on my shoulder. I held out my hand to him and he reluctantly took it as I showed him mercy. "Kill me, human… allow me to join my brethren and clan."

"I will allow you to rejoin your clan. Just not in the way you expected." I brought us into the swamplands of Outworld. He looked around and sniffed the air, smelling something he hadn't smelt in a long time.

"It smells like Zaterra."

"These are Zaterra's remains from the Merger." I led him down a chamber to where a sarcophagus lay dormant. He stared at it, seeing the familiar design. "This sarcophagus holds the last remaining Zaterran female. I was made aware of it last time I was here. This was what I was trying to tell you, but you disappeared." I went to it and placed my hand on it, feeling the magic keeping her in suspended animation. "Shang Tsung. Of course." I turned to Reptile. "It will take me some time to do so, but I can revive her. We can find you a new world to call home. All I ask is you help us Kombat Chronika." He looked at the coffin before turning to me and nodding.

"Then let's get you back to Kotal Khan." I turned to Frost and handed her my Shirai Ryu amulet. "I'm sending you back to the Grandmasters. Show them this, tell Grandmaster Hasashi 'Kage remembers the promise.' He will know what it means. They'll take you back to our allies."

"Where are you going?"

"Making sure Reptile gets his wish." I made two portals. One back to the facility, one to the Osh Tek war camp. I turned to Frost. "Good luck."

"You as well." Me and Reptile stepped through the portal and found the nearest Osh Tek lieutenant. I saluted.

"Phoenix Mason of Earthrealm. I humbly request an audience with Kotal Khan." He nodded and me and Reptile followed him to the center of the camp.


	4. Chapter 4

Myself, Skarlet and Reptile stood before Kotal Khan's war tent, waiting to be let in for an audience as Liu Kang and Kung Lao arrived. I turned to them. "Liu Kang, Kung Lao."

"Phoenix Mason," said Liu Kang. He turned to Reptile. "Making new friends, I see?"

"Best way to defeat one's enemies, is it not?"

"That is an ancient philosophy not many pursue."

"I'm surprised you Shaolin don't practice it. Aren't monks supposed to be peaceful?"

"Aren't ninja supposed to be assassins," asked Kung Lao.

"Why don't we agree to disagree?"

"Kotal Khan shall see you now," said the Osh-Tekk guard. We walked into the tent and saw Kotal speaking with Jade and Kitana about what to do next about the Tarkatans.

"We need to deal with the Tarkatans," said Kotal. "They are a major threat."

"The Tarkatans have done nothing," I said as everyone drew their attention to me. "I've told you before, Kotal. The only reason they sided with Mileena in the first place was because Shang Tsung created her using Kitana's and Tarkatan blood. The Tarkatans honor blood as much as the Osh-Tekk."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Phoenix Mason?"

"I've read up on Outworld history. The Tarkatans have always been treated as slaves and cannon fodder. Approach them as equals, offer them a seat of council alongside you, the Shokan and the other races of Outworld under your rule, including Reptile's. We've found a female Zaterran in the Outworld swamps."

"I will join you," said Reptile. "If you allow me to restore my clan, Kotal Khan." He knelt before Kotal and I stood beside him. I turned to Jade.

"We need all the allies we can get." Jade considered my words before turning to Kotal to speak with him in private.

"How did you know that would work," whispered Kung Lao.

"Behind every powerful man is a powerful woman who can tell him what to do. It's the same old story throughout time and space." Kotal turned to me after his discussion with Jade.

"If you can track down Mileena and deal with her before she becomes a major threat, I'll consider your words. But while you hunt for Mileena, myself, Jade and my best warriors will infiltrate the Tarkatan camp in an attempt to learn what they are planning."

"Try not to start a fight, Khan. There's only so much I can do here."

"A fact I'm well aware of, Phoenix Mason." I turned to Skarlet.

"Go with them, protect Kotal if you can against danger." I turned to Reptile. "I wish you luck."

"What will you do," asked Skarlet. "Mileena…"

"Is not a threat to me. And I know exactly where to look first. The Flesh Pits."

"Those were sealed up years ago," said Kotal.

"And we find ourselves in the middle of a distortion in time. The changes to the Kolosseum are the hint. And since we haven't seen Mileena, nor have your scouts reported her anywhere near Shao Khan, there's only one place she could be since she wasn't at Shang Tsung's Island."

"I know the way to the Flesh Pits," said Kitana. "I'll show you."

"Much appreciated, Princess Kitana." I groaned as visions shot to my mind of the Osh-Tekk following Kotal and Jade into the Tarkatan camp, a line of Tarkatans, warriors and civilians lined up to die, and Kotal captured after a fight with a regretful Jade. I turned to Kotal. "If worse comes to worse, do not resort to killing them all off. You won't like the outcome."

"You're receiving visions like Raiden," asked Kung Lao.

"I am. But unlike Raiden, my visions are a result of changes already made and the timeline alerting me to the changes and similarities. It's difficult to interpret, but given context, some of them can be made out. Some of them take a bit of guess work and I won't jump to try and change something unless I know what will lead to it. Raiden was too impulsive. I'm not." Kitana and I bowed to Kotal before she led me to the Flesh Pits. I looked around as we got to Shao Khan's former palace. Kotal and I brought it down to the foundations and had his own palace built closer to the common populace. I placed my hand on the caved in entrance to the Flesh Pits.

"I found Mileena here not too long ago," said Kitana.

"For me, that was years before I came to this world."

"Liu Kang mentioned you weren't from his Earthrealm."

"No, I'm not. I'm from a version of Earth where Outworld, Netherrealm and other realms didn't exist. An odd concept, I'm sure." She nodded and turned toward the entrance.

"How do we get in?"

"Terramancy. Step back, please." When she was out of the way, I used my magic to unseal the Flesh Pits and instantly regretted it. The smell of blood and rusting metal wafted towards us and I turned my head away to spare my enhanced senses the full onslaught. "Gods above. Let's go before I get dizzy from the fumes."

"Follow me." We made our way to the Flesh Pits bowels and spotted fresh corpses. All with a familiar face. "Mileena?"

"Shang Tsung made multiple clones, hoping one of them would come out perfect. They must've gotten loose and started ripping each other to pieces." I looked around and spotted one Mileena sitting on a table, shaking and rocking back and forth. I approached her cautiously. She didn't seem like the rest, for one her mouth lacked the flesh ripping teeth of the Tarkatan DNA all of the others had. She looked up at me, startled and backed away from me, hiding behind the table. "She's full Edenian…"

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Sister," called a sickeningly sweet voice from a hallway behind the timid Mileena. She gasped and moved away from the entrance. Kitana and myself watched as two Mileena clones walked into the room. One had a purple veil wrapped around her face. The other was dressed like the timid Mileena in only bandages.

"Sonofabitch," I said as I spotted the fully clothed Mileena. "She's from the original timeline! Chronika is breaking every rule to get her balance."

"So you've heard of me," asked the past Mileena. She removed her veil and revealed a full row of Tarkatan teeth, unlike her current timeline clone who had normal front teeth with Tarkatan teeth aligned along her mouth behind it.

"Yeah. The cannibalistic crazy snaggletooth named Mileena. You shouldn't be here. You should be dead in a finished timeline."

"Lady Chronika saw fit to save me from my fate! Now I will serve her with elation!" The other Mileena laughed, her attention on Kitana.

"Come sister! Let us dance!"

"Ok," I said as I brought out my Johyo. "You handle your 'sister'. The other one is mine."

"What about her," asked Kitana as she nodded to Timid Mileena. I put a barrier around her and turned to her.

"Stay still. Don't move." I turned back to the Mileena twins and found Past Mileena jumping at me. She latched onto my chest and proceeded to take a chunk out of my shoulder as Kitana engaged her Mileena. I threw Past-Mileena off of me and used an instant heal spell to restore my flesh.

"You taste wonderful," exclaimed Past-Mileena.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, bitch. You won't get another bite." She pulled out her Sai and attacked me. I deflected her stabs with the dart of my Johyo and flip kicked her away before throwing the dart into her chest. I slammed her into the ground and kicked a tray filled with knives at her. Three of them embedded in her chest, a fourth barely missing her head. I ran forward and drop kicked her head, knocking her into a hallway. She growled and launched energy from her Sai at me. I summoned my shield and blocked the bolts. When my shield disappeared she was on me and proceeded to stab my chest multiple times. She jumped off and grinned at me as I healed myself.

I growled and covered my Johyo in flames before swinging it, landing flaming strikes on her before it wrapped around her neck. I slammed her to the ground just as the rope burned up. Mileena capitalized and lunged at me. She stabbed my leg and tried to bury her second Sai into my head. I blocked her arm with my own and headbutt her away before taking out her Sai and throwing it to the ground. I got into a ready stance as she disappeared. I rolled backwards as she appeared above me and tried to land a kick on my head. "Aware of my techniques, are we?!"

"I did apprehend this timeline's version of you. I watched as bugs ate her from the inside out. I'd so love to see that again. But it looks like I'll have to kill you myself."

"You can try, boy!" I formed a blade out of shadow and threw it right for her head. She ducked under it and found my knee impacting with her head. I had the shadows hold her down as I stomped on her chest and head before kicking her into a wall. She was quick to recover and rolled under me, knocking me into the air. She appeared above and kicked me to the ground before straddling me with a twisted grin. "You're quite a treat! Too bad I have to kill you now. We'd have _so_ much fun!" I growled and rolled out from under her before evading a swift kick to my chest. I got up and ducked under a another stab at my head. I gave her an uppercut and knocked her head straight off her body. As it came down, I kicked it into a wall, embedding it into the stone. I spit on her head as her body collapsed.

"I don't fuck crazy." I fixed my duster and went back to the surgery room. I found Kitana dragging her Mileena there. Her bandages had come off in the fight and she was missing an arm. I gave Kitana a look.

"She was a difficult fight."

"But really, the arm?"

"She was strangling me."

"I'm not judging. I just knocked my Mileena's head off and kicked it so hard it's stuck in a wall."

"Now, what do we do about her?" I turned to Timid Mileena. She was still where we'd left her and apparently had followed my instructions. I dropped the barrier and got Tyra to open a portal to the Citadel. I knelt beside her.

"I want you to go there, my friends and family will look after you, alright?" She nodded. "Good. When you get there, ask Tyra, the one who closes the portal, for a change of clothes. She'll help you." Timid Mileena nodded, glanced at Kitana and went through the portal.

"Is that wise?"

"Probably not. But I'm hoping she's more peaceful than this one." I kicked Naked Mileena, making her groan. We dragged her outside and I whistled for Shadowmere. He whinnied as he galloped towards us and came to a halt right in front of us. I threw Mileena on and helped Kitana up. "Get her to the war camp. I need to report this to the Special Forces."

"What of your servant?"

"Skarlet will be with Kotal and Jade, protecting them to the best of her ability. She'll report to you."

"Can we trust her?"

"As long as I hold the Kamidogu, yes. And as long as I give her a steady supply of blood for her to use."

"I still think Skarlet can't be trusted, no matter what you say."

"Noted. Now get going." She nodded and Shadowmere ran off with his new cargo. I turned back to the Flesh Pits and went back in to collect Mileena's blood for Skarlet. I looked around before planting bombs and destroying the place once and for all. "Good riddance." I was about to open a portal when I felt shadows begin to form around me. I sighed as Noob Saibot appeared before me. "Now's not a good time, Bi Han."

"Chronika wishes for me to kill you," came the raspy reply.

"Better beings than you have tried. And by the way…" I snapped and the shadows fell around us, bringing us back to Shao Khan's palace ruins. "The shadows prefer a true master over a pretender like yourself."

"We shall see who the true master of shadow is." He sent his shadow to tackle me. I simply hit it to the side and my own shadow held it in place.

"Won't be much of a fight if we do that. How about we settle this with our own fists."

"Fine." He charged at me, sickle drawn and aimed at my head. I formed a sword of shadows and deflected his attack before kicking him away. I used my magic to freeze the ground at his feet. I slammed the butt of my blade into his head before kicking him into the iced up ground. I slammed a palm into his back at a pressure point and locked his muscles before stomping down on his head. Noob was down and his shadow melted in my own's arms.

"Not even a challenge." I opened a portal back to the SF headquarters and arrived in the middle of the Command Center.

"You're back," said Cassie.

"Yeah with an update. Where's Raiden?"

"He went to converse with the Elder Gods," said Past-Sonya. I turned to her and nodded before turning back to Cassie.

"How's…"

"She's still recovering, but it's not entirely good news. Docs say she won't be walking any time soon." I sighed and pulled her into a hug when I saw tears start forming in her eyes.

"Sorry, Cass. Wish I was there to help. But…"

"It's not your fault," said Cassie. "We all knew the risks before going in there. We're soldiers, remember?"

"Commander," said a medic as he came into the Command Center. "General Cage is awake if you want to speak with her." I turned to Johnny.

"You two go check on her. I'll take over here till one of you gets back."

"Thanks, Phoenix," said Johnny. He and Cassie left the Command Center and I monitored the ground forces dealing with Netherrealm Incursions all over the US. Past-Sonya walked over to me.

"Phoenix, right?"

"Yes, ma'am. How can I help you?"

"What's your relationship with Cassie?"

"Friends, siblings in arms, comrades. Believe it or not, I've had this conversation before."

"With… the other me."

"And Johnny. You two make quite the parental tag team, it's a wonder you two divorced a few years back."

"Did the future me grow a brain?"

"Actually, Johnny divorced you." She turned to me, surprised. "You were focusing too much on your career, not enough on your family. Johnny couldn't take it. He filed for divorce. You guys got back together after the Second Netherrealm Invasion, with promises to make it work this time."

"How can I end up with… that?"

I turned around and saw Past-Johnny flirting with one of the female soldiers. "You should speak with yourself on that point. You know you best, after all." It was a few minutes before Johnny and Cassie returned and Johnny went over to me.

"Sonya wants to speak with you," he said.

"That's odd. I haven't blown anything up yet." Johnny gave me a look and I sighed. "Sorry. Chronika is more powerful than I thought when coming here. Something she's doing is giving her more strength, I just can't figure out what, so I'm stressed and resorting to humor. I'll go talk with Sonya. Handing command back to Cassie."

"I'll go too," said Past-Sonya. "Think it's time I had a chat with myself."

"You can do that normally. People will only think you're crazy." Cassie smacked me upside the head, shaking her own. I led the way to Med-Bay and saw Sonya lying in a bed, her head bandaged up and right arm in a sling. "General."

"Phoenix. And… me." I looked between the two Sonyas and it was like looking at twins. Despite the stress of the position and the age difference, Sonya hadn't really changed all that much from her time fighting in the Mortal Kombat tournaments, other than her choice of attire, or course.

"You wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes." Present-Sonya turned back to me. "Situation report."

"Time is collapsing. The cause is a Titan known as Chronika. She's a former Manifestation of Time and is currently trying to redo her 'balance' of the realms, throwing us into a state of perpetual war. I believe she wants to undo Raiden's alteration, or time for this Multiverse itself to remake things her way."

"What has been done to stop this?"

"Currently, Kitana and Jade are working with Kotal Khan to unite Outworld against Shao Khan and in turn, Chronika. Tarkatan Hordes are back because of the temporal anomaly. Reptile, Skarlet, and Frost are all on our side. Cyber Lin Kuei facility has been taken down. Kotal and Jade are currently attempting to bring the Tarkatans to our side. If such a thing can be done without bloodshed, Sheva and the Shokan will join with the Osh-Tekk, Tarkatans, Edenians, and other races under Kotal's rule."

"Sounds like you've been productive."

"Visions of past events have helped."

"Explain."

"Ma'am. I came here because in this series of events, Chronika won, making a mess of time for the Metaverse as a whole, otherwise I wouldn't know to come here. I don't have total knowledge of what's going to happen, I just know brief instances before they happen."

"Like Raiden."

"Only unlike him, I'm not trying to prevent major things, I make small alterations to affect the outcome. My presence alone is already changing a lot about this version of events. Players are in play that most likely weren't before. Shang Tsung, for one, was back. He's been dealt with. Reptile has joined our fight against Chronika with a promise his species can return to strength."

"Has it all been good news?"

"No. Chronika managed to get ahold of some of the Jinsei, more than likely to help with whatever she's planning. I encountered her briefly. Her control of time is enough to incapacitate me for several moments. Her power also seems to expand slightly to space as well, given her extracting Shao Khan and his subordinates in the Kolosseum." Present-Sonya nodded.

"Thank you for your assistance, Phoenix."

"Wouldn't dream of abandoning this world. It's home."

"Welcome home then."

"Um…" started Past-Sonya. "General?"

"Lieutenant."

"I… have a few questions."

"Johnny, right?" Past-Sonya nodded. Present-Sonya smiled slightly. "Johnny, when we first met him, was immature, brash, cocky, and arrogant. I think he changed when Sindel, Kitana's mother, was revived and killed our team, our friends, during Shao Khan's invasion. An incident that would've continued had Chronika not done this. He was… humbled. We actually became friends. After Shinnok's first invasion… we celebrated, and Cassie was conceived."

"You mean you weren't even married?"

"Not initially. When I discovered I was pregnant, Johnny actually stuck by me. Over time, I started seeing a new side to him. Kinder, more considerate, loving. We married a few months before I was due with Cassie. We were happy, when I was around."

"Phoenix told me about the divorce." Present-Sonya gave me a look.

"She asked," I shrugged.

"Listen," continued Present-Sonya. "Your Johnny may be a prick."

"More like a douche."

"But give him time and a chance. He'll grow on you."

"Why do I doubt that," asked Past-Sonya.

"Because you've only seen one side of him."

"I'll let you two talk," I said. "I should check in with Cassie about what our next course of actions should be." Both Sonyas nodded and I left Med-Bay. When I got back to the hangar that led to the Command Center, I spotted both Johnnies fighting and sighed. I walked over as Present-Johnny laid out his past self. "What did the idiot you do?"

"Made an inappropriate comment about Sonya," said Present-Johnny. "I needed to teach him a lesson in humility."

"And what teaches that better than getting your ass whooped by an old man."

"Aren't you older than me?"

"Technically."

"Then shut-" Johnny was cut off by an explosion and alarms going off.

"What now?!"

"The base is under attack," called a voice over the intercoms. "Black Dragons!" I growled.

"Kano." I raised a wall of earth to block a few soldiers from incoming rocket fire and turned to the entrance to the hangar. Members of the criminal organization, along with a few upgraded Cyber Lin Kuei. "Great, these assholes now."

"Hold on," called Frost over the intercom. "I can control some of the Lin Kuei!" Instantly, some of the Cyber Lin Kuei turned and started attacking the Black Dragons. I grabbed a soldier by the arm.

"Get some men and head to Med-Bay! Protect General Blade!" He nodded and led a few soldiers to Med-Bay. I pulled out a weapon from my inventory in the Omni-Boy and put a visor on my face for targeting.

"We'll hold the Command Center," called Cassie over the radio.

"Roger," called back Johnny. I aimed my weapon and let loose a rapid fire volley of blue plasma rounds at the Black Dragons, killing a few of them and forcing others behind cover. "Evacuate all non-essential personnel," called Johnny over the radio. "And get the wounded out of here!" I grunted as I found myself tackled at high speed. I looked up and spotted a young and healthy Kabal. He cracked his knuckles. I put my rifle back and popped my neck.

"Alright, Speedy," I said as I activated the transformation matrix of the Omni-Boy. "Let's see who's faster, you or me." I changed into Quicksilver, my white Kinecerelean and created energy blades on my claws. Kabal glared and charged at me. I led him from the base and into the desert where I stopped and returned to normal before turning to him as he stopped nearby. "Alright, now that we're out of effective range of any of your Black Dragon friends, we can talk."

"I got nothing to say to you."

"Not even that Kano is playing you?" He eyed me suspiciously.

"What are you talking about?"

"What is it that Kano told you about your counterpart? About what happened to him."

"He told me that Sonya bitch burned me. That he pieced me back together afterwards." I shook my head.

"Fucker's lying. Here's what I know happened. Before the Outworld Invasion, you received a call from your friend in the New York Police Department, Kurtis Stryker."

"You know Kurt?"

"More as a revenant, than a friend, unfortunately. But I know your story and his. He called to meet up, catch up, and possibly get you a job working alongside him at NYPD."

"Sounds like him so far." Kabal removed his jacket and turned to me. "You've got my attention, continue."

"You went through the academy and graduated top of your class. You were partnered with Stryker to stop Outworld forces from destroying New York."

"Kano convinced me to rejoin the Black Dragon. Said some bitch called Sonya Blade burned me in the future and left me for dead. He said he revived me, but I had to be kept on permanent life support."

"Kano lied. A Shokan infused with magic named Kintaro burned you. After you and Curtis had been ambushed by Outworld forces armed with Earthrealm weapons. Weapons Kano provided them with."

"You mean Kano's part of the reason I got burned?!"

"Yeah. Meanwhile, Kurtis is probably up to his neck in trouble right now."

"Why should I believe you?!"

"I have proof." I touched a button on the Omni-Boy and showed him a perspective of his encounter with Kintaro in Raiden's altered timeline, from memories I obtained from Revenant Kabal last time we fought, feeling I might need them. He growled before running back to the base. I jumped through a portal and beat him there. I found myself in the Command Center with Cassie, Jacquie and both Jax's. I went to Cassie when I saw her cradling her ribs and started slowly healing her. "You alright?"

"Kano has my mom. The Past version. General Blade is safely away."

"I'll get her." I groaned as visions of upcoming events flooded my head.

"What's wrong?"

"Get all of our forces out of here now! Sektor has been converted into a nuclear bomb!"

"Shit! We'll get them out!"

"I'll get Sonya!" I hid in the shadows and made my way to the hangar. I arrived to see Present-Johnny drive a tank over a few of the Cyber Lin Kuei. "Damn… Always wanted to do that…" I shot a Cyber Lin Kuei in the head as it tried sneaking up behind me. I killed a few more Cyber Lin Kuei as Johnny chased an upgraded Sektor to a cliff, only to stop as a VTOL rose over the cliff and fired on the tank. I ran to Sonya, only to be stopped as someone grabbed ahold of me and lifted me into the sky. I looked up and spotted a winged woman with fangs lifting me into the air. "You're Nitara!"

"And you're dead!"

"Why are you helping Chronika?!"

"She will save my realm! Separate it from Outworld!"

"There's no need for that anymore! Shao Khan is on the outs! Kotal Khan will ensure your people are safe!"

"We want our independence!" She dropped me onto the roof of the compound and pulled out a Kama. I formed a pair of my own out of shadow and darkened the shadows of the mountains around us, disorienting her slightly.

"You won't get it following Chronika. Help us beat her!"

"Can you guarantee my realm separates from Outworld?"

"No, but…"

"Then I refuse." She charged at me and I deflected her attacks. I studied a little bit about the Kombatants of the previous timeline during my brief time in this world and knew while neutral, Nitara was a possible ally in case Netherrealm started attacking again with Liu Kang and Kitana at the helm. I needed as much help as I could get to prevent casualties from getting too high. She swung the blade at my head, forcing me to duck and find her knee connect with my head. I stumbled back and barely had time to block a strike from her Kama. I kicked up some dust and threw it into her eyes, blinding her slightly and flip kicked her into the air.

As she was coming down, I bound her wings to her body and placed my Shadow Kama into the ground around her neck. "Stay down. Unless you want to lose your head." I dropped back down to the fighting and spotted Johnny deliver the mother of all Nut Crackers to Past-Kano and hissed. "Damn. _I_ felt that one."

"Don't move," said a voice behind me. I glanced back and spotted a woman with dark red hair aiming a gun at me.

"Kira, right?"

"Shut up."

"Gotta say, your dossier doesn't do your beauty justice." She glared, a slight blush on her face.

"Focus," said a blonde guy behind her. "Don't get distracted."

"Shut up, Kobra," she said.

"Kobra and Kira, recruited by Kano when he was still head honcho. Stuck around when he abandoned your group. Looks like you're back following him again.

"Quiet you," said Kobra. "Boss said to nab you especially. Said you're a prize we can't pass up."

"And what makes you think I'll go along quietly?"

"If you don't," said Kira. She held up a communicator to me and showed me footage of the Shirai Ryu Fire Gardens. "Then your home gets glassed." I growled.

"Don't you fucking dare…!"

"Comply, and we won't. Resist, and say goodbye to your home." I growled once more and placed my hands behind my head. They pushed me towards the crowd of Cyber Lin Kuei as Johnny laid out Past-Kano.

"No one threatens my family," said Johnny as he walked to Kano and placed his boot on the Australian's neck. Johnny collapsed as a bullet went through his leg. I turned and spotted Present-Kano walking over, holding the smoking gun and pushing along Past-Johnny.

"Well," said Kano. "Got ourselves a full on generation swap here." He turned to me and grinned. "And it looks like you two managed to nab that pain in the ass."

"I was only a pain till your mother got used to it." Kano glared and pistol whipped me across the face. I groaned and spat blood in his face. Cassie, Jacquie and the Jax's came out, the two girls holding assault rifles, ready to start shooting. Kano pushed Past-Johnny to his knees and aimed his pistol at his head.

"Don't think so. Between Ninja Mime, Lady Liberty and the Silver Arse-hole, we've got all the leverage. We're leaving." I connected my mind to Cassie's. _'Contact my daughter, Alma. I left a device with Takeda in case he needed to get ahold of the Citadel to find me. Have her find us.'_ I saw two Cyber Lin Kuei drag an unconscious Frost out of the compound. "Oh good, the traitor. Oh, Chronika's gonna love punishing you, Sheila." He turned to Kobra and Kira as Kabal walked calmly over. "Where's the Vamp?"

"Haven't seen her since the beginning attack," said Kobra.

"Whatever. Load them on the VTOL. Kabal, go get my lesser half."

"And the base," he asked.

"Taken care of." I was pushed onto one of their extraction VTOLs and Johnny and Sonya onto the other. I looked up as Kabal sat across from me, Kobra and Kira on either side of me.

"Here's what's going to happen," said Kabal. "You're going to do everything I say and then we'll let you go free. Got it?"

"Or you'll blow up the Shirai Ryu. I know the drill."

"Good. Cause we're gonna take down Kano and deal a major blow to Chronika."


	5. Chapter 5

I sighed as we rode in the VTOL. Kabal kept his eyes on me the entire ride. I turned to him after a few moments of silence. "You know this is a very big risk you're taking, right?"

"Kano's a fucking asshole. And he's putting Earth in danger with this fucking deal with Chronika," he said. "I don't know about you, alien, but I got family here."

"Fuck you. I'm not technically an alien. I was a human before dying and being remade as… what I am now."

"Which is what," asked Kobra.

"Shut up, Ken knock off." Kira stifled a chuckle, causing Kobra to glare at her. I felt Alma's mind brush against my own briefly as she tracked me and smiled internally. "Where the hell are you taking us, anyway?"

"Our Fight Club," said Kira. "This is where we initiate new members. They kill their opponent, their in. They die… you get the gist."

"Kira," said Kobra. "Shut up!"

"I'll talk if I fucking want to!"

"Both of you shut the fuck up," said Kabal.

"Nice team you have here, Kabal," I said.

"You shut up too."

"Be nice or I crash this VTOL."

"You can't do that. You'll be in here too!"

"I can survive it. Perks of being me." Kabal glared a me. "Who knows, I might make sure Kira survives with me?"

"You mean I'd be free of this idiot," she asked, nodding to Kobra. "Count me in."

"Everyone just shut up," said Kabal. "Kira, stop flirting with this asshole."

"Should've gagged me," I said.

"I'm more than up for that later," said Kira. Kabal and Kobra groaned. After a few minutes, the VTOL landed and Kabal pushed me out of the aircraft.

"Finally," said Kobra. "Fucking annoying asshole."

"You let him talk," said Present-Kano as he watched us leave the VTOL. "I told you not to let him talk. Arsehole gets in your head, messes with you until you drop your guard."

"He should know," I said. "It's happened to him on multiple occasions."

"Not anymore, kid." Kano slammed his boot into my side. I took the impact, acting like it hurt. "Well, how's about that. Chronika's plan is working. Looks like any of us can fucking kill you now."

"Go ahead and try it, Aussie. I can assure you I will fucking end you." I groaned as he shot his laser into my shoulder.

"Take his silver arse to the cages! Put him against our new contender. We'll have two entertaining fights on our hands!" I noticed Kabal take an interest at Kano's suggestion and put that to memory. I glared at them and spotted a Special Forces tracer on the other VTOL. _'Nice work, Cass. No way to ensure they didn't fly us to different places at once. Best to track both. If you weren't going to kill me for it, I'd kiss you when I next saw you.'_

"Better hope I don't get out, Kano. Cause you're a dead guy if I do." I walked into the cage and snapped the neck of the Black Dragon goon that removed my restraints, causing a surge of cheers from the Black Dragons watching both cages as Past-Johnny and Sonya were thrown into the other cage across from me. A woman with shoulder length black and white hair was tossed into the cage with me. She glared at the Black Dragons before turning to me. "Serena?"

"I see you're back, Phoenix," said the former demon from Netherrealm. "I take it whatever is going on is why you're here?" I nodded as the Black Dragons jeered at the four of us, trying to urge us into fighting. I blocked a kick from Serena.

"How long have you been captured?"

"Since the start." I threw a punch at her head, forcing her to duck and retaliate. "Something happened to the Refugee Camp and I was captured by the Black Dragon. At least not all of these guys are assholes."

"Kabal, right?" She tripped up, allowing me to land a kick to her side. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Kabal's hands tighten slightly. "Seems Speedy has a soft spot." I blocked a punch and growled as she threw a handful of dust into my eyes. In the other cage, I heard Johnny taking a beating from Sonya just so that Kano wouldn't shoot them and possibly erase Cassie. Serena kicked me into the cage, and I shouted in surprise as electricity coursed through me. "Fuckers…" I felt Alma again and knew she was letting me know Cassie was close by. I tossed Serena to the ground and turned away from a wall as it exploded.

"What the," started Kano. I grabbed Serena's arm and slipped us into shadows before popping us up out of the cage. I grinned as I kicked Present-Kano in the chest and into the electric fence.

"Aussie, Aussie, Aussie," I shouted.

"Fuck off!" I charged at him and slammed my knee into his gut before flip-kicking him into the air and slamming his head into the cage, electricity coursing through his robotic eye. He shouted in pain as he landed on the ground. "You fucking bastard! Boys! Get him!" I grinned as Black Dragons got between us and Kano ran out of sight.

"Alright you Black Dragon bastards! Who's next?" They charged at me and I took one of them by the leg and slammed him into the others. I grabbed one of their rifles and started firing at the Black Dragons. "Come on, you fucks!"

"Phoenix," called Cassie. "Calm down. I know you and the Black Dragons have a hate on for each other, but you should still keep your cool."

"These fucks have it coming!" I shot one of Past-Erron's bullets out of the air before it could shoot Past-Johnny in the shoulder. I shot two Black Dragons behind him and slammed the rifle into the head of another as two behind me were gunned down. I turned around and spotted Kira standing behind me with a grin.

"You owe me one, Silver," she said.

"Feel free to collect at any time, Red."

"I plan to."

"Could you two stop with the flirting," shouted Cassie as she gunned down another Black Dragon. "Now's really not the time!"

"Afraid I'll take him from you, Cage?"

"Whatever keeps you up at night, Kira!" We pushed the Black Dragon back as Sonya helped Johnny get out of the Fight Club. Me and Cassie laid down suppressing fire as we made it outside, taking down member after member. I stopped firing when I spotted Present-Kano with a minigun.

"Son of a bitch…" I said.

"Where do you think you're going," said Kano with a grin, his eye back online. Me and Cassie ran for cover as he started firing at us. Kira ran off and we hid behind a truck with the past versions of her parents. I heard Kano stop firing and stopped Cassie from moving out of cover to fire back. I shook my head and pointed to my right eye, the same eye as Kano's robotic one. "That's no fun! You gave away the surprise!"

"Yeah, fuck you!"

"Lucky for me Chronika gave me some upgrades." Kano fired at the truck in front of us and ricocheted the bullets at us. Cassie was hit in the shoulder and in the side.

"Cass!" I raised a barrier to block the bullets as Kano advanced on us. I spotted Sonya climbing the truck and started healing Cassie with my magic. "Cass, you ok?"

"Y-yeah. Wish someone would've told me getting shot wasn't fun." I chuckled as I healed her side.

"I did. You didn't listen to me." She chuckled lightly as I switched to her shoulder after extracting the bullets.

"Don't go cozying up to my daughter," said Johnny near us.

"Dad," groaned Cassie.

"Technically," I said. "She's not your daughter yet, so…"

"That's not the point. I helped Cassie up and we worked together to help Johnny stand up. We walked to where Sonya was fighting Past-Kano and saw her place her boot on his neck. Present-Kano knocked us away from Johnny and put him in a hold, placing a knife to his neck.

"Now this is a pickle," he said. I took aim only for Cassie to lower my arms.

"No clear shot," she said. "Don't"

"Can ya break his neck faster than I can gut Pretty Boy? Don't forget. It's two-for-one. He dies, so does your little girl." Sonya thought for a second as we both came to the same conclusion.

"Thanks, Kano," said Sonya.

"For what?"

"For reminding us of the rules," I said as me, Cass and Sonya aimed our guns at Past-Kano and fired. Me and Cassie hitting his neck while Sonya landed a shot right in his remaining eye. I turned to the remaining Kano as he let go of Johnny, holes in his neck and head, all rotted out unlike his past self where the wounds were fresh. We watched as he shambled away as time caught up to him and his body turned into sand and drifted away in the wind. "Paradoxes. Love 'em and hate 'em."

A few minutes later, I was sitting with Cass as she was getting looked over by the medic and watching her Past Parents talk. "How's it feel, knowing your time is solidified?"

"I'll let you know when we're out of this," she said with a grin. I smiled back at her. "Alma's a sweet kid, by the way. And she absolutely loves you, she jumped at the chance to help." I chuckled.

"She thinks she's my keeper."

"She's not wrong." I nudged her lightly. "You've done a great job raising her."

"Thanks. Though I wish my job didn't make it dangerous for her."

"She's a tough kid, like her dad."

"Tougher, really." One of the soldiers walked over to us.

"Commander, Specialist Phoenix," he said. "We searched the whole building. No sign of Frost."

"Kano must've transported her offsite before we got here," said Cassie. "Try and find any clues as to…"

"Cass," I asked. I turned to where she was looking as did Johnny and Sonya as they heard pleas for mercy. We watched as Geras, now with a few Chronika upgrades, killed a soldier by throwing him off of a sniper tower before jumping off himself. "Shit. Temporal-Terminator is back."

"Oh that is such a rip off." The soldiers started opening fire on Geras who simply shrugged off the bullets and slowly made his way forward, killing soldier after soldier with his bare hands, a sadistic grin on his face as he did so. "How do we deal with him?"

"Haven't tried blowing him up yet. I've got some grenades. Maybe…" I grunted as a winged creature slammed into me at high speeds.

"Phoenix," I heard Cassie shout below us. I looked at my attacker and saw a reptilian face with glowing yellow eyes and a crown shaped crest on his forehead.

"Onaga…"

"You're the one Chronika is worried about," questioned the Dragon King. "Pathetic." I growled and reached for one of his wings, planning to rip it off until he tightened his grip on me, almost breaking my back as I shouted in agony. I felt the same pain all across the Metaverse with my clones. _'What the hell is going on,"_ I thought to myself. Onaga slammed me into a building and threw me away from him. I groaned as I stood up and glared at him. "I've eaten lizards larger than you."

"You think you're the first would be conqueror to underestimate me, Onaga? What exactly is Chronika offering you, huh? Your throne back from Shao Khan?"

"Chronika's offer is meaningless. She wields a power greater than being Khan of Outworld. A power I seek to claim for myself."

"There's only one Dragon of Time. And you sure as hell are no Akatosh." I lifted a slab of concrete and threw it at the Dragon King. Onaga simply blocked the slab, failing to notice as I got in close. I conjured a sword from shadow and sliced off his wings. Onaga shouted out in pain before growling and glaring at me. "No flight advantage for you."

"Insolent whelp. You dare mutilate me?!"

"I dare to do more than that, you worthless excuse of a dragon! Getting killed by Shao Khan of all people! You're a weakling!" Onaga roared and breathed fire in my direction. I ducked under the flames and ran forward before slicing at his chest. Unlike his wings, which were mainly thin membrane, his body was covered in scales tougher than most blades. My shadow sword caused sparks as it clashed with his scales and knocked a few of them off.

Onaga roared and charged at me, slamming me into a wall and stomping on my chest after slamming me to the ground. He kicked me away and breathed fire on me. I groaned and turned into Ignis before absorbing his flames. "A shapeshifter. No matter. You can't stand against me no matter what form you take."

"Then I guess I need to pull out the stops. _Fus… Roh Dah!_" Onaga buckled slightly as the Unrelenting Force slammed into him. He roared again and charged at me. "_Feim!_" My body turned intangible and he ran through me, slamming into a pillar. He growled and turned to me as I let loose a stream of flames at him. He grinned and walked through them towards me before grabbing my head as I changed back to human.

"I am a dragon, whelp! Fire does not harm me!"

"I just needed you to get in close. Onaga! _Zii los dii du!_" Onaga dropped me as intense pain coursed through him. He tried reaching for me as his body glowed golden. "As Shang Tsung would say, your soul is mine!" I grunted as I absorbed his soul into myself. While I resented the practice of absorbing souls, I spent some time as the Last Dragonborn. Absorbing a dragon soul was how I learned more in a single world than most would in a lifetime. Dragon souls, being as powerful as they were, were not as fragile as mortal souls. They were fair game. I gathered Onaga's scales and bones and picked up his crown. "Nice souvenir." I made it back to the group through the shadows and saw Sonya fighting Geras.

"Phoenix," said Cassie as she ran to me and hugged me. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How's Sonya doing?"

"Don't know how we're going to get out of this if we can't kill him." I saw Sonya lay out Geras and turned to Cass before I noticed her looking at something behind me. I turned around and spotted a forklift before turning back to her.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Only if you're thinking of impaling that sonofabitch with that."

"Cass, I love you." I made my way to the forklift, not missing her light blush as she followed me. I hotwired the forklift and she stood on the right side of the forklift as I got in the driver's seat. We drove the forklift into Geras and pinned him to a crate. We dropped frag and plasma grenades at his feet and ran away from the vehicle as he tried to pry himself free. I covered her as the grenades went off, taking Geras out. We panted as the adrenalin started fading away. She grinned as she looked up at me.

"Mind letting me up, Phoenix?"

"I think I'd rather stay here, actually." We spotted a drop of blood from Geras start moving back to where he was impaled. "On second thought. I'd rather we leave before T-Infinity pulls himself together.

"Again, such a rip off." We got to Sonya and followed her to the medevac VTOL where Johnny was taken to. I groaned as I lifted my shirt and saw my burns slowly starting to heal and felt them healing across the Metaverse. "Who was that?"

"Onaga. The Khan before Shao." I covered my burns again. "Kano mentioned something about Chronika. Said she did something to try and hinder me."

"What was it?"

"I don't know. But since I've been here, major injuries I've been getting have spread to my other bodies in other worlds. Something is up, and I need to figure out what's going on before it fully kills me." I looked at Onaga's crown. Cassie snatched it from my hands and put it on.

"How do I look?" I grinned at her.

"Like the royalty you are. Princess Pun'kin." She gasped and punched my arm, proceeding to smack me for the comment.

"It's Private, you ass!" I chuckled and let her hit me. My grin turned into a frown as I thought about what might be affecting me until I realized I had a portion of Kira's power in me. A small part of me was the aspect of time and as it fractures, so does the control of my separation. The longer I stay in a fractured timeline, the more I start feeling the effects. If I didn't beat Chronika soon, I would be feeling the same as Kira was currently. "You ok?"

"I think Chronika is fracturing the timeline more and more to hinder me. My powers are affected by the balance of the powers of the Council. Disrupt one, all control goes to shit."

"You're gonna be fine, Phoenix. Chronika will get what's coming to her. We're not going to let her win, ok? Your friend is going to be fine." She grasped my hand lightly. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and after a few minutes, we both fell asleep. Normally I don't sleep but after the fight with Onaga, my body was still healing. We were jerked awake as I felt someone kick my boot to get my attention. We looked up and spotted Present-Johnny and Sonya nearby. Johnny with a frown on his face and Sonya with a neutral look.

"Phoenix," said Johnny. "Get away from my daughter."

"Dad…"

"Johnny," said Sonya. "She's not a little girl anymore."

"Doesn't matter," said Johnny. "Phoenix is still not good enough for my daughter."

"Dad," said Cassie. "I'm not a fucking teenager. I can choose who I like and want to date."

"God," I muttered. "It's like reliving high school for the hundredth time. Not something I like doing."

"Shut up."

"No."

"Phoenix…"

"You want to be with me, deal with my mouth." Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Sonya grin slightly.

"Commander," she said. "Head to the dojo for debriefing. Johnny, go cool off. I need to speak with Phoenix."

"Yes ma'am," said Cassie with a salute before leaving. Johnny gave me a threatening gesture before leaving himself. When they were both out of earshot, she turned to me. "You know, me and Johnny had almost the exact same conversation. He said something stupid, I told him to shut up and he said to deal with him."

"Oh great, you're telling me I'm like Johnny. That's not comforting."

"Shut up and listen, Specialist." I cringed lightly as she called me by my official title when working with the Special Forces. "Johnny sees a lot of himself in you. The younger him. And to see someone like him getting close to his daughter, he feels like history is repeating itself."

"And you?"

"Cassie is old enough to make her own decisions. She started doing that when she joined the Army. I don't get a say in what she can or can't do. I can only say this. Don't hurt her. Because she will kill you if you do." I chuckled.

"Oh, I believe it too." I stood up and started wheeling her to the dojo. "Let's go, General. We've got a lot to talk about."

"You don't know the half of it. One of the Osh Tekk scouts returned. Something happened with Kotal. He suddenly went berserk and started ordering his men to attack the Tarkatans. Jade and Skarlet managed to stop them but all three were captured by Shao Khan. Baraka, out of rage, is going to side with Shao Khan if we don't do anything."

"What do you mean suddenly went berserk?"

"The scout said something about his eyes glowing yellow." I stopped pushing her as her words registered in my head.

"What did you say?"

"His eyes glowed yellow."

"Shit." I pushed her the rest of the way and turned to Raiden. "The Elder Gods?"

"Killed by Cetrion," he said. "She's Chronika's daughter."

"Which means she's Shinnok's sister. That's just fucking perfect." I set Sonya next to Johnny. "I need to speak with the Council. But I can't leave here, not yet. There's an anomaly here that more than likely led to Kotal, Jade, and Skarlet being captured. I need to investigate this."

"Do you know what's going on," asked Takeda.

"A defunct timeline of this world. One that was forced to collide with another world. The World Collision Event caused unsurmountable rage in the minds of the counterparts to the older fighters here, and the heroes of the other world. If that's what happened to Kotal, I need to find a way to stop it before it infects everyone, and we end up trying to kill each other. For now we need to rescue Kotal Khan. Shao Khan will more than likely be setting up his execution soon. Which means we'll be met with heavy resistance with just the Special Forces."

"What about the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu," asked Past-Jax.

"The Shirai Ryu are neutral in this conflict," said Sensei Hasashi. "While the world is indeed in peril, I've deemed it important to protect the Fire Gardens and Jinsei temple along with the Shaolin."

"And the Lin Kuei are busy protecting Earthrealm at the critical Incursion sights with the Special Forces reserves," said Grandmaster Kuai Liang. "And none of the Lin Kuei are keen on saving an Outworld conqueror and his mistress."

"Lover," I said. "Not mistress. I was already aware of what the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu would be doing at this time. The Grandmasters are nothing if not predictable."

"We still need the Shokan to side with us, now to save Kotal as well as assault Chronika's Keep." I gripped my head as a vision of events poured through my head. "Fuck! That hurts…"

"What did you see," asked Raiden. I turned to him.

"An alternate timeline." I looked at Present-Jax. "You sided with Chronika. She offered you a better life. One where your wife was alive and…" I glanced at Jacquie. Jax gave me a look of understanding. He never liked the fact that Jacquie had joined the army with Cassie. He never wanted that life for her. The life he lived. He wanted better for her. If I hadn't brought Jax out of his stupor, that would've happened again, and he knew it. He sighed; thankful I didn't tell everyone about his other wish. "I also know what Chronika is doing now. Shang Tsung's well of souls has been unearthed. She's planning on using it to power a crown. Someone needs to go get it and stop this."

"I'll go," said Jacquie. "So far you and Cass have been having all of the fun. It's time I get my turn."

"I'll go too," said Past-Jax. "Time I stretched my legs." Jacquie turned to her dad.

"Dad?"

"There's no way in hell I'm going to let my daughter do this alone," said Present-Jax. "Count me in."

"While the Briggs' have a family outing," I said. "Someone needs to help Kitana recruit Queen Shiva."

"I'll go," said Liu Kang.

"Take Kung Lao with you. You'll need some help with this." I handed him a device. "When you have a plan, contact me with this. I'll show up and help how I can." I blinked as I felt a disruption in the Cycle of Life and Death. Two of them. "Ok, that's not good."

"I felt it too," said Raiden. "Two beings have been resurrected. In the area of the border between North and South Dakota."

"What's there," asked Cassie.

"The Matoka," I said. "Night Wolf's people."


	6. Chapter 6

I arrived in the forest housing the Matoka Tribe, a tribe of Native American people who hadn't fully accepted the modern age, choosing to stick with their belief in the spirits who continue to protect their tribe to this day. I looked around as I brought my rifle to the front and kept an ear out as the portal behind me closed. I turned on my radio. "Recon to Base, come in," I said.

"You're good, Recon," came the reply from one of the soldiers.

"Arrived at destination. Requesting radio silence unless it's absolutely urgent."

"Roger, Recon. Radio silence acknowledged. Good hunting." I flicked off my radio and looked around.

"Shouldn't be too far now, at least." I made my way to the point where I felt the resurrections had occurred. I looked around as I arrived at the sight and found two holes in the ground where someone climbed their way out of the ground. I knelt near one and picked up a strand of silver hair that had a dark aura about it. "Son of a bitch. The queen is back." I stood up and examined the second hole and picked up what looked like a horse's hair. "Motaro. Well that's just perfect. And me without any back…" I stopped talking as I heard clicking above and around me.

I set down my rifle and all other weapons I had on me at the time and raised my hands above my head. Years of practice against these guys was a life saver as I saw a red beam of light shine on my chest. I looked down and spotted three dots aimed at my heart. "Oh, come on. My luck is never this bad." I looked up at the source of the lights and stared for where I knew the head was. "M-di mar'ct! M-di mar'ct!" I noticed a slight shimmer as the head tilted slightly. I lowered my hand slowly and revealed a still red scar from acid burns in the shape of what looked like a capitol T. "Kv'var-de, mei'hswei." The lights shut off and the cloaked figure dropped in front of me with a thud as a clicking growl came from them. They tapped on their wrist and became visible to the naked eye. He stood a foot taller than me and wore a mask I was more than familiar with. A plasma caster sat on the pauldrons of his shoulders and stayed aimed at me. On his waist was a number of human skulls, I could only pray they weren't Matoka skulls. On his biomask, I could see the same symbol I sported on my chest.

I tapped my hand on my chest. "Halkrath." I gestured to him. He tilted his head slightly before pulling out a spear. I tensed, ready to evade if he was trying to kill me. He shot it passed me and impaled a facehugger that was sneaking on me. I blanched slightly before turning to him and nodding in thanks. I glared at the facehugger. "U'darahje. I spit on it before looking around and turning back to him as he broke off one of the legs as a trophy and switched to English. "I need your help. There are some people here I need to kill. One of them would be a worthy kill for you. A centaur. Man with the body of the horse. I need help killing them. They were returned to life." He stared at me for a moment. "I wish I was lying. They were resurrected." After a moment, he nodded and I breathed a sigh of relief as his plasmacaster lowered itself. I picked up my weapons and looked around. "First, I need to find out where they went."

"I can help you with that," said a voice behind me. I whirled around and aimed my rifle at a young woman with red lines running down her face from her eyes in a fashion I remembered from my brief encounter with a certain Revenant.

"You must be the new Night Wolf." She nodded to me, eyeing my companion warily. "Relax, slightly, at least. He's hunting a specific prey. As long as you don't catch his eye for now, he won't attack."

"Are your words supposed to be reassuring?" I moved my pointer finger and thumb apart slightly, making her sigh. "I suppose that's better than nothing. You are after the woman and centaur, yes?" I nodded. She pointed in a direction with a bow. "They went this way. Follow me." I turned to the Predator beside me and saw him cloak before jumping to the trees.

"He'll be following close behind. The trees are more his ally than we are."

"What is he?"

"A question better left for another day. For now, let's just find them and kill them before they can contact Outworld."

"This is one of those Realms the spirits warned me of, yes?"

"It is. The woman is Outworld's former queen. If she's allowed to contact her allies, they could come to Earthrealm and start another mess of problems we don't need in this crisis."

"You mean people from the past arriving in the present?"

"The very one."

"How is time not unraveling?"

"Chronika, the one who started this, is the reason. Her power over time allows her to slightly control paradoxes and keep a segment of time stable for a limited amount of time until it either corrects itself or a new timeline is created because of all of the paradoxes of time folding in on itself."

"What is Chronika?"

"A Titan. A being older than the gods or spirits. And a goddamn pain in my ass. I have a very limited control over time, unless there's a way for me to boost it, fighting her is going to be more trouble than it's worth." I glanced at her. "Let's change subjects for now. I take it since you're aware of the Time Crisis that your predecessor is here?"

"He is. He is currently on his way to meet with a Lord Raiden."

"Are you worried? There's only ever been one Night Wolf at a time. What if the Spirits…"

"He has already relinquished his mantel so that I may better protect the Matoka. I have nothing to fear."

"At least he's sensible." A clicking alerted me to the Predator's warning and I stopped us a few feet before a clearing. We found them arranging stones in a certain pattern and a Native American woman tied down to a flat stone surface. She struggled in fear as Motaro moved a boulder in place.

"Everything is in place, Lady Sindel," he said.

"Good. Now deal with our unwelcomed guests, Motaro. I have a ritual to complete."

"Of course." He turned to where we were hiding and charged towards us. I pushed her away and met him straight on, my boots digging into the ground as I held my ground. I growled and uppercut him away before getting into a ready stance as Night Wolf charged at Sindel.

"Didn't Raiden slam you into a bridge," I exclaimed.

"Silence!" He snarled and charged at me again. I dove to the side as bolos flew at his legs from the trees. I nodded to the trees to let the Predator claim his trophy before heading into the clearing and cutting the woman free as Sindel wrapped her hair around Night Wolf's waist and slammed her into the ground.

"Run!" The woman nodded and ran off away from the fighting. I turned to Night Wolf as she was slammed into the ground beside me.

"She's strong," she muttered.

"Yeah, but at least it's normal Sindel and not…"

"The Revenant," asked a voice behind me. I groaned and turned around to see the Revenant Sindel floating in the air.

"I need to stop fucking talking out loud my luck is just making things worse." I turned on my radio. "This is Recon requesting…" I grunted as a blast of sound shattered the radio in my hand. "God fucking dammit!"

"Come now, boy. Do you really think more people would make a difference against us?"

"No. I just needed the frequency of your screams. Cortana, now!" A pulse filled the valley and Sindel tried shouting at me, only to sound raspy. I grinned. "No sonic attacks for you, bitches! I shot a fireball at the Revenant Sindel and knocked her out of the sky. I turned to Night Wolf. "Her screams are no longer a threat. If you can, stay at a distance and take potshots with your bow. We need to take every advantage we have. My companion is taking care of the centaur. We need to deal with the twin queen bitches here and now!"

"Ok," she said before knocking an arrow and aiming at the Past Sindel. I ran for where I saw Revenant Sindel land and exclaimed as she wrapped her hair around me. I growled and lit my body on fire, burning her hair. She growled and kicked at my head. I ducked under her boot and swept her leg out from under her. I slammed my foot down towards her head, only for her to roll away from the impact. She laughed and taunted me. I grinned and had my shadow slam her into a tree before I shot forward and kicked her right in the head. I punched her abdomen and grabbed her head, slamming it into the trunk. I broke off a low hanging branch.

"Batter up!" I swung for her head, only for her to slam her heel into my chest. She knocked me away and slammed her hair into my chest, knocking me further away.

"Give it up, boy! You can't hope to defeat me!" I grinned as I saw a large mass flying towards her from behind.

"Heads up, bitch!" She turned around and grunted as Motaro's headless body collided with her own. A roar from the forest alerted me to the Predator's shout of victory and I walked to Sindel who was trying to push the heavy load off of her. I knelt beside her and grinned. "What's the matter? All those souls didn't make you strong enough to get yourself out of this predicament?"

"I will get out from under this fool! And when I do…" I conjured a shovel and slammed it down onto her neck, severing her head.

"Boring conversation anyway." I walked back to the clearing and shattered a boulder as Night Wolf summoned a spirit bear that bisected Past Sindel at the waist. I grunted as I healed a broken rib and turned to her as Sindel fell. "Well that was fun."

"You have a very warped definition of the term 'fun'," she said.

"So I've been told. Phoenix Mason, by the way. I'm working with Raiden and the Special Forces to try and stop this Time Crisis." She nodded to me.

"I would offer my assistance, but my place is here protecting the Matoka."

"I understand duty, ma'am. Believe me, I understand. I should check on my companion, make sure he's alright." I turned to the forest before pausing and turning back to her. "Word of advice, if your hunters ever hear a clicking growl coming from the trees, have them drop their weapons and raise their hands above their heads. He's a hunter and only hunts the most dangerous game. If they value their lives, they'll remember this. Hear the clicking, drop all weapons and show no sign of aggression. Say twice these words: 'M-di mar'ct'. In his language, it means 'no kill'. Knowledge of his language is enough to give him pause. Knowing of his traditions is enough to know you are not prey. His species are big on honor. If he diverges from the path of honor, he would be branded Bad Blood, outcast."

"He hunts people?"

"People, animals, whatever proves to be a challenging kill. You and I would be considered good prey to him." I looked up as I saw a glint of metal. The ship lifted into the air above the trees before cloaking and disappearing from view.

"What was that?"

"His ship. I think he'd just finished his hunt when I found him."

"What was he hunting?"

"You don't want to know." I turned to her. "If I need your help, can I call on you?"

"I cannot leave my people."

"Alright then. Good luck to you, Night Wolf."

"And you, Mr. Mason." I nodded and opened a portal before going through. That's when I noticed I wasn't in the Fire Gardens. I was in a wasteland. The portal closed behind me and I turned in my spot to get my bearings and heard a crunch under my feet. I looked down and spotted skulls lining the ground.

"No. No, no, no…" I looked up as moving spotlights shined over me, an aircraft hovering in the sky above me. "Not here… Son of a bitch!" I dove out of the way as a rocket landed where I had been standing. "Chronika… you aren't just causing a massive paradox; you're forcing a World Collision event because of this!" I conjured a missile launcher and shot down the Hunter Killer Terminator before moving. "Of all the fucking worlds. Why did it have to be this one?!" I ducked under a car and lowered my body temperature to evade the detection scans of other Terminators and contacted the Citadel. "Gareth we have a major fucking problem…"

"I know," said the Manifestation of Life. "I just noticed it now in the Fate Note. A World Collision Event. You need to beat Chronika and quickly!"

"Kind of have a problem with that right now! I'm in the T Loop!"

"Well get out of there!"

"I can't risk opening a portal and letting a machine through!"

"What do you need?"

"Have Gallio send my armor. I know it's still in the experimental stage, but the teleportation matrix should be running well enough for me to get the hell out of here!"

"Stand by." I grunted as I felt something nearby and slipped into the shadows beneath me, aware my magic was starting to fail because of the heavy amounts of radiation still in the atmosphere.

"Why couldn't I be born with Technomancy…" I slammed my legs against the car and knocked down the T-600 getting close to me. I sent a bolt of electricity around me and shorted out its circuits before starting to run. Already I could feel sensors starting to track me and upped the pace faster than any human was capable of to try and lose them. Missiles started heading towards me and I growled. "Fucking persistent machines! _Feim, Zii, Gron!_" I felt the missiles explode around me and looked up at the Hunter Killers before growling. "_Strun, Bah, Qo!_" Instantly a storm appeared in the skies and lightning started striking everywhere in the area. The unexpected electricity shorted out their circuitry long enough for me to get away and I sighed. "Gareth, where's my armor?"

"Should be arriving in a second. Alma just sent it in." I sighed and sat down on a rundown car.

"You there," came a stiff Austrian accent behind me. "Get up."

"State your Model Number, T-800." I turned around and saw the very familiar face staring at me. "I gotta say, Skynet's deployment is superb. I would've thought It would take longer for that stupid A.I. to respond."

"Your presence is an anomaly that needs to be investigated. A human wielding powers no normal human possesses, unwatched speed, strength, and the ability to conjure storms. If your abilities are capable of being replicated by other humans, you must be terminated."

"You can try, cyborg, but I warn you…" A crate flew towards me and enveloped me as it landed, fitting an armor to me completely. The armor was light and covered vital organs and major veins, leaving only my joints slightly exposed, covered only by a thin layer of Acromantula webbing. The armor was dark grey and styled like the Predator armor. The Biomask was styled more like the helmet warn by Robocop and was solid all around, seemingly giving me no space to see. The back of the armor sprouted a retractable metal tail styled after the Xenomorph tail. I got into a three-point stance and grinned. "…You're going to have a Helluva bad time doing so."

"Your armaments do not scare me."

"They're not supposed to. They're meant to kill. And I'm pretty sure they're stronger than normal titanium alloy."

"You will hand them over for observation."

"I don't think so, Tinman." I charged at him and struck out with my tail. It struck him in the chest, and I hopped away from him before he could get a hold of me. I flicked my gauntlets and sprouted twin blades on either side of my wrists. "Come on! Skynets infamous manhunter?! Can't even catch me?! You're fucking worthless!" I charged in again. He anticipated the attack and grabbed hold my tail. I detached it and the movement caused more blades to shoot out at the unknown grip, shredding the Terminator's hand to shrapnel. I got in close and stabbed my wrist blades into his neck before he had time to even register what had happened and ripped his head off. "Not so tough against an abnormal human, huh?" I snapped and the tail reattached itself to it's slot on my back. "Let's hope this works." I tapped a button on my wrist and shouted out as I traveled between words.

"Fuck," I exclaimed as I landed in a lake. "That fucking hurt…"

"Phoenix," exclaimed Cassie as she ran over. "What the hell?"

"Long story. Threat is dealt with. It was Sindel. Both of them and Motaro."

"We've got news as well, Kitana just killed Shao Khan and was named Khan by Kotal."

I blinked as the events played in my head. I shook my head as a sense of dread followed by the face of D'Vorah appeared to me. "What the…"

"You ok?"

"Just… one of those visions. I don't know what it meant…" I deciphered another vision and blinked. "What the… how? I never…"

"What's up?"

"I know what Chronika's next move is. Shang Tsung's Island. Get the others. We need to plan things out."

"Ok. Do you need any help?"

"Just need to rest. Traveling between worlds without proper protection is jarring. It's all the echoes of past and possible events. They tend to jumble around in my head without a ship or portal." Cassie nodded and went to get the others. I sighed and got my bearings before standing up. "Ok… Time to work."

* * *

**(Alma's POV)**

The time for Dad to fight Chronika was getting closer. With a Collision event unfolding, he needed to work fast and needed as much help as he could get. If it meant going to an enemy who seemingly wanted the same thing as us, where else could I turn? I walked back into the storage room and crossed my arms, trying to look as intimidating as possible. "Back again, child," he asked with an amused smirk.

"Shut up," I said, hardening my look. He chuckled and looked at me.

"What would you like to know now?"

"How can Dad beat your mother. You must have an idea, or you wouldn't have tried to form an alliance with him in the first place."

"Very observant, child. Yes I have an idea on how to beat Mother."

"Tell me."

"There's only one way to overcome her power over time. Your father has to splinter himself and fight her on multiple timelines."

"That kind of strain would weaken him enough for your pals to start whatever plan you've got cooked up. Not happening."

"Then I suppose your father is going to die. And it'll be your fault!"

"He's not going to die you twisted fucker! He's stronger than any of you!"

"But is he stronger than my mother, I wonder. Now there's a fight I'd like to see. Your poor father against my mother. I wonder what she'd do to him."

"Shut up…"

"Oh, I know. She'd rip him in half, restore him, snap his spine, restore him again, and continue to eviscerate him in all sorts of ways until time ran out or she grew bored. Your father would relive death in millions of ways! It would drive him to madness!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" A pulse filled the room and all of the Citadel. I didn't know what it was, I didn't care. I was so angry I just stormed out of the room and left the door open. I stopped when I bumped into someone. At first I thought it was Gallio. Then I noticed the robes and looked up. I spotted a man with green skin and white spiky hair. The faint outline of a giant halo could be seen behind him.

"Mortal trash," he said before swatting me away. "Are you in there, Shinnok?"

"You took your damn time, Zamasu," shouted Shinnok.

"I was waiting for another outburst." I tried to get up to stop Zamasu only to be slapped across the face again. I cried out in pain as I hit a wall. He held out his hand to me as I glared at him. "What hope do you have at defeating me, Mortal? You cannot stand against a god."

"I can give it my best shot though," I shouted. I concentrated my mind and focused it on pressing him into the ground. He struggled before scoffing and sending an energy blast at me. I stopped my attack and focused on stopping the blast and slowing my movement against the wall again.

"Get away from her," shouted Tsukiko nearby as lightning struck the Loser in the back. I grunted as I hit the wall, this time with enough force to knock me out. As I blacked out, the last thing I saw was Zamasu rounding on one of my mothers, fury in his eyes and a snarl of annoyance on his lips.

* * *

**(Phoenix's POV)**

I looked around the room as I laid out the details. "So," said Jacquie. "Someone goes to Shang Tsung's Island while another team tries to get in contact with Charon in the Sea of Blood."

"All the while," said Present Sonya. "The rest of us gather the forces for a frontal assault."

"The Lin Kuei will remain in Earthrealm to defend against any other Incursions," said Sub Zero.

"And the Shirai Ryu will divide our forces to assist on both fronts," said Hanzo.

"Sensei," said Takashi. "Our forces are too small to divide. We'd be more useful defending Earthrealm with the Lin Kuei rather than divided."

"While normally I would agree with you," I said. "Today is different. The Shaolin were all but wiped out by that regenerating asshole. The Special Forces are not much better and we can't very well get the rest of the armed forces to join in this assault. Knowledge of the Realms is limited to the Special Forces. As far as the rest of the public is aware, these invaders are just from another planet and it's leading people to advance space travel rather than Realm travel. Besides, normal naval vessels can't survive on the Sea of Blood. We're limited on people. We just need enough forces to bring us Kombatants to Chronika's Keep."

"What then," asked Past Jax. "How do we beat her?" I sighed and ran a hand over my head.

"I don't know. I'll think of something. I just need time."

"We don't have time," said Present Johnny. "There's got to be something."

"I suppose… whatever Chronika is working on at Shang Tsung's Island could work. If it's powered by the souls still trapped on the island, it could substantially increase the power of the user. But it's risky. That much power can do bad things to a mind. This is risky as all hell…" I sighed and sat down on the floor. "We've got an hour to prepare and decide who's going where."

"I know where Charon is," said Hanzo. "I'll go into the Netherrealm to find him."

"You're not going alone, Sensei. I'll go with you."

"Phoenix. Your magic will be severely drained in the Netherrealm."

"I have my armor. I can handle myself." For emphasis, my tail raised above my head and snapped forward. "I'll be fine, Sensei."

"Then rest. When you're ready, we'll go."

"I'll go to the island," said Jacquie. "You and Cass have been carrying us enough. It's time I stepped in."

"I'm not letting you go alone," said Present Jax. "I'm coming too."

"Dad, I'm not a baby. I can handle myself."

"But you don't need to go alone," said Past Jax. "Going off alone gets you killed. You don't have backup or an emergency way out. There's no one watching your back. You know who you're reminding me of right now? Sonya."

"What?"

"Truth be told," said Present Sonya. "He's right. That's how I got involved in the Mortal Kombat Tournament in the first place."

"And how Jax got captured," said Past Sonya. "I saw Kano and just rushed in, not giving a damn about backup or anything. And look where that led us…" Jacquie glanced at the present version of her father and how the years have affected him. She sighed before turning to her father.

"Fine. I'll take backup. But not you. Phoenix just recently got you back into the swing of things after you fell off the rails. Please. Get your head in the game before you start fighting again. I haven't had a chance to fight at your side before. I'd like that to happen soon, hopefully when we bring down Chronika."

"I'll go with her," said Past Jax. "I'd like to see how good of a soldier she is." Present Jax sighed before nodding.

"Alright," he said.

"Then both of you get ready," said Present Sonya. "Raiden will send you along once you are. Phoenix, rest up before you head out with Grandmaster Hasashi."

"Don't have to tell me twice," I said. Cass stood by my side slightly.

"Commander Cage. Coordinate with the ground teams about deployment against Netherrealm forces before organizing a landing party for the Keep." Cass sighed before saluting to her mother. I placed my hand on the small of her back.

"I'll see you when I get back."

"I know you will," she said. "I'd just like some alone time with you, preferably before one of us goes off to our deaths."

"There's a time and a place for that," said Present Sonya, a sly grin on her face. Cassie sighed before planting a kiss on my lips and walking away, her hips swaying slightly, drawing my attention.

"Stop it," warned both Johnny's. I snapped to attention at the warning, hearing Cassie giggle slightly under her breath.

"Phoenix. A word." I nodded and bowed to the Grandmasters as they left the room after everyone else. "This World Collision thing. Are we in danger?"

"Not from a full-scale machine invasion. Not yet. At most, a mix up in temporal energy will cause one of their time travelers to come here. But that is a slim chance. I'll still divert some of my energy to act as a barrier to prevent that from happening. Those things don't belong here and getting ahold of the Hourglass is out of the question. They'd be able to rewrite history in the machine's favor. I don't want to think of what that could lead to."

"You and I both, Phoenix. Is there any chance that the Sindel's could be revived again?"

"Revenant, possibly. But it would take time. But with Past Sindel killed without Shinnok around to revive her as a Revenant, that's not likely to happen. The new Night Wolf is powerful. We could use her, but her duty is to the Matoka."

"What about the old Night Wolf?"

"My guess? He's still on his way here. It's the past version, which means he's not as privy to technology yet. He'll be moving on foot."

"I'll have Raiden track him down."

"Alright."

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been better. The more time Chronika's plan has to progress the more I start feeling the effects, which means Kira is going to be feeling much worse than myself."

"Then my previous order stands. Rest up for a moment. Then find Charon with Grandmaster Hasashi."

"Yes ma'am." I saluted to her. She smiled slightly before saluting back and wheeling herself out of the room. I collapsed on the floor and groaned. My thoughts drifted to D'Vorah and why I was feeling a strong sense of despair. I decided to contact the Citadel quickly before heading out with Hanzo. As I tried to get through, there was no response. I tried again, same result. "Dammit. I think the fractures are starting to affect communication with the Citadel now. Hope they're fine up there."

Deciding not to worry about the Citadel just yet and focus on the more immediate threat, I meditated in a Time Lock for a moment before closing it and finding my father in this world. Hanzo turned to me as I stepped out of the room. "Are you ready," he asked.

"I am, Sensei."

"Good. Then let's go. Raiden will open a portal for us. This will be the first time you'll be in the Netherrealm longer than a few moments. It could have adverse effects on your magic and mind. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Yes, Grandmaster. We don't know if Chronika has people there. You're not as young as you used to be, Ji-san. Someone needs to watch your back."

"Says the man who's older than the gods. Just follow me."

"Hai!"

Within moments, we found ourselves along the coast of the Sea of Blood. I panted as we climbed over a hill. "Are you doing alright?"

"Oh yeah, just fine. This place is more taxing than I gave it credit for. I keep having to close off my magic from my soul so I'm not corrupted."

"Maybe your coming here wasn't such a good idea."

"Have some faith in me, Sensei. I can manage. I just need to be careful with my emotions here."

"If you're sure you're fine, then we can continue on. But if you start showing signs of corruption, I'm sending you back."

"You worry too much, Father. We'll be fine."

"Oh," said a voice behind me. "I very much doubt that." I grunted as I was tackled to the ground. I looked up and spotted Torr standing above me, Ferrah nowhere in sight. I looked passed him and spotted the bug woman herself standing nearby. Torr grunted before dragging me away from the coast.

"Torr! Where's Ferrah?!" He simply grunted before lifting me into the air and punching me away. I grunted and slowly lifted myself off of the ground. "She's in trouble, isn't she? That's why you're here alone." He charged at me. "Torr!" I dove to the side and tripped him up. "Torr talk to me! However you can!" He picked up a boulder and tossed it at my head. I ducked and used my armors motors to propel myself forward and slam into his abdomen. "Come on, big guy! Work with me here!" He grabbed me by the waist and power bombed me into the ground before punching me into a sand dune. I grunted and stood up, using a minimal amount of magic to heal myself slowly. "Dammit… no choice…" I dropped to a three-point stance and leapt at him. My tail sprang forward at his joints and managed to cut him, though not deep enough to limit the movement of his massive arms.

I ducked under a punch and grunted as he charged right into me. I flicked my right wrist and slammed the blades into his back a number of times before he tossed me behind him. I stood up and groaned. "F-Ferah…" I looked at him and panted as I continued to heal. "Da-angerrr… kiii-ll youuu… Save Ferah…" I stared at him and grunted in frustration.

"I can't die here, Torr! I'll find Ferrah! But I can't die here! There's too much at stake!" I pulled gripped the base of my tail and pulled it free from its slot before flicking it and retracting the segments into a straight blade. "I'm sorry, Torr! _Would, Nah, Kest!_" I shot forward and swung my sword as I did, cleaving Torr's head from his body. I dropped to my knees as Torr's body fell to the ground. I groaned and reached into a pocket dimension and drank a Magic Replenishing potion before turning back to the hulking corpse. "I'm sorry. But I promise, I will help Ferrah. But I need to help the world first…" I placed my tail back in place and made my way back to the coast. As I cleared the dunes, I spotted Hanzo standing over his past self who looked defeated. I started making my way to him and smiled slightly as I stood beside them. "Please tell me you're getting through to him. I don't want to…"

"Phoenix," shouted Hanzo as he pushed me aside. I landed in the sand and heard the squelch of flesh being pierced. I turned around and spotted D'Vorah flying in the air above us, her pincers piercing Hanzo's heart.

"NO!" Scorpion teleported beside D'Vorah and sliced off her pincers as I caught Hanzo in my arms. I looked at his soul and saw Denise's mark, showing there was no altering this fate. "No. No, no, no!" I growled and tried my damndest to heal his wounds, but Denise's power overrid mine. I set him down and turned to D'Vorah who was trying to flee through the sand of the beach. "YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" I picked up my father's Kusari kunai and flung it at her, catching her in the back. In a voice similar to that of the man I called Father I shouted. "**COME HERE!**" I pulled her towards me and slammed her to the ground, facing her to a portal to her hive. I showed a ball of white fire in my hands and held it in front of her face. I aimed my hand at the Hive as the flames turned black and my anger started corrupting my magic.

"No," she exclaimed. "Don't!" I ignored her and sent a stream of flames into the Hive, sealing it off to prevent any thing from leaving or entering. "NO!" I wrapped the chain around her neck and pulled tout.

"Phoenix…" said Hanzo behind me as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and glanced back at him. He looked at me with worry and sadness and in his eyes I could see it. My hate. My anger. My lust for vengeance. All things I had once helped him overcome were now consuming me. Black flames were beginning to cover my entire body. I dropped D'Vorah and my wards around the Hive but looked on at what I had done. Black flames were the flames of Amaterasu. Flames of vengeance. Hotter than white phosphorus and even more impossible to put out. They would burn until there was nothing left. And I had used them on the Kytinn. An act of genocide. D'Vorah wailed as she watched the Hive burn. I ignored her as I turned to Hanzo as he collapsed into his past self's arms and tried helping him to his feet.

"Father… I…"

"It's alright… my son… It's alright."

"Can't you save him," asked Scorpion. I shook my head.

"It's his time…"

Hanzo turned to his past self. "Raiden is at the Fire Gardens. Enlist Charon's aide. Bring Raiden's army to the Keep. You must…"

"You have my word," said Scorpion as Hanzo tried moving to me and dropped. I caught him and placed a numbing spell on his body, holding back the tears I knew were coming.

"I am proud of you… Phoenix… Satoshi would've been proud to call you his brother… and Harumi her son… Protect the Shirai Ryu… They are worthy…" I clenched his robes as he started drifting. "It is heart, not blood, that makes them warriors…" I closed my eyes and wept as I felt his soul leave his cooling body and start passing on from this world. I shouted in pain and anger, covered by thunder as a storm started to rock the coast. I didn't even register that Scorpion had left. I just sat there, my father's body lying in my arms and a broken bug woman crying for her lost hive not ten feet away.

* * *

**(Alma's POV)**

When I woke up, I was in Dad's bedroom at the Citadel. My body ached and my mind was racing. The last thing I remembered was speaking to Shinnok and then… I jerked fully awake and shot from the bed into the hall. I rushed for where I knew Shinnok's head was being kept and froze as I saw the state of the hall outside the room. Burns from lightning and energy blasts lined the halls and blood splattered on the wall next to the door. "Alma," called Mama Denise behind me. "Stop!" I ignored her as I pushed the door open and gasped. Shinnok's head was gone. The room was empty except for one thing. Mama Tsukiko's body lay lifeless on the ground, a burned stab wound running straight through her heart. I stared for what felt like an hour as someone, more than likely Mama Denise, tried pulling me away from the room. I didn't react. I just stood there as I was picked up and carried away from the room, watching one of my mothers bodies lie in wait for a burial. The only thing that ran through my mind was: 'Dad's going to be sad. And it's all my fault…'


	7. Chapter 7

I sat on the shores of the Sea of Blood and held my father in my arms. A great man who redeemed himself through heavy trials and countless years. Hanzo Hasashi. Scorpion. I stood up and carried him in my arms as D'Vorah wept for her hive not too far away. I turned to her. "How many of you are in that putrid body," I asked. She glared at me. She held her gaze for a moment before looking down at the sands beneath her.

"Not enough…" she said.

"This is on you. I've offered my hand in alliance multiple times in the past to help preserve your hive and restore the Kytinn to power and have them ally with the other races of Outworld and constantly you rejected it. And then you side with Chronika who would rather keep the forces of all realms fighting ensuring your species goes extinct. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"You murdered my brood!"

"AND YOU KILLED MY FATHER!" I glared down at her as magic powered my voice, pushing her to the ground and sapping more of my strength. "Now you can suffer alone."

"Kill me…"

"You deserve everything you have coming to you." I turned away from her and attempted to call Cass to have Raiden bring me home when D'Vorah tackled me, the pincers in her wrists aimed at my neck as Hanzo's body landed not too far away. I growled and kicked her off of me before standing up. "Fine! You want to die so badly…" My body erupted into black flames once more as I picked up Hanzo's Kusari Kunai. "…I will grant you your wish!" I disappeared in flames and reappeared behind her, slamming my foot into her back and kicking her away before rushing forward. She stood up and sent a stream of her remaining kin at me. I burned them away and grunted as she flew into me. I growled and punched her to the ground before erupting a geyser of flames from the ground and burning her legs as she rolled away. I punched her twice before kicking her into the air and shooting the kunai into her chest. **"Get down here!"** I slammed her into the ground and curb stomped her head into the sand before punting her away.

I grabbed one of her wings and ripped it off of her. I walked forward and snapped her arm in two. She screamed in pain before getting up and glaring at me. She ran forward and I threw her behind me with a roar. She landed beside Hanzo's body and drew his tanto before charging at me, screaming. I grabbed her wrist and headbutt her before grabbing the tanto from her hand as she dropped. I impaled her shoulder with it and stood over her. I broke one of her legs and pulled out the tanto before flicking away her blood and putting it back into Hanzo's sheathe. "No wings to fly. One arm and one leg." My flames died down and my magic sealed itself away as I lost more of my strength in the Netherrealm. "Good luck getting to the Keep."

I walked over to Hanzo, picked up his body, and called Cass. "Phoenix," she called immediately as she answered. "Get here fast! Scorpion just showed up and Raiden is going to kill him!"

"Dammit. I'm stuck here! I can't get in touch with the Citadel and I'm out of magic!"

"Find a way here fast!" I growled softly before slipping Hanzo's body into shadows and looking around to get my bearings. "Gotta find the entrance to the Nexus. Need to work fast…" I started walking and stumbled slightly as the ground shook beneath me. A crack formed in the air in front of me and I stared at it before looking around. "Come on. Take me somewhere with Mana…" I dove through and found myself falling through the blue skies of Earth. I looked around and found I was over an island with a few buildings on it, a bridge connecting it to the mainland. I pressed a button on my armor and a foam surrounded me as I fell while I waited for my magic to recharge just a little bit so I could portal myself back to the Fire Gardens. I felt the foam slow my impact as I landed, twice. The foam evaporated and I stood up, looking around to see where I was. All around me were walls lined with cells with catwalks out of reach. An insane sounding scream sounded in the distance and I cursed. "Crap."

"Who's there," called a girl with a Jersey accent. I looked around and found a familiar looking young woman with white face paint wearing a slightly revealing nurse's outfit.

"Harley," I asked as I walked to the cell, feeling my magic recharge slightly.

"Who are you," she asked.

"Oh right, helmet." I took it off and smiled at her, making her gasp.

"Alby!" I deadpanned.

"Ok, don't start with that. I'm not albino for the love of…" I opened the cell she was in and grunted as she threw her arms around my neck.

"I didn't you were in here!"

"Technically I'm not. I just sort of…" I looked up at the ceiling. "…dropped in. Wait…" I looked at her and sighed. "_He's_ scheming again, isn't he?"

"If you're talkin' about Mistah J, I'm not saying nothin'!" She crossed her arms and turned away from me with a huff.

"You know that's a double negative, Harley. So talk." She growled before turning to me, slightly angry.

"Don't go correcting me, Alby! I'm not telling you anything about Mistah J's plan for the Titan… hmph!" She covered her mouth and I sighed.

"You should just drop the dumb broad shtick, Harley. You're a beautiful intelligent woman and your wasting everything you have on _him_. He doesn't…" she blushed before glaring at me.

"Don't you dare say that, Phoenix! Mistah J loves me as much as I love him!"

"We both know that's not true. I mean you're locked up in here!"

"I'm sure he has people coming to break me out! They'll be here any second now!"

"Harley, how long were you in there?" She stayed silent for a moment.

"…I don't know… Bat-brain didn't exactly give me a clock when he put me in here." I sighed. _'Titan. Right. It's this timeline. Hopefully I can return fast enough to break her from this obsession before she plummets even further after he dies.'_

"Harley, he doesn't love you. Not the way you love him. Definitely not like…" I cleared my throat as she glanced at me. "Look. Joker's path is not one where love is an option for him. It's not even one where children would be an option. You know how he treats you…" I saw her rub her chest just under her left arm as a reflex. "…If you two ever have a kid, how's he going to treat them?" I saw her look down at the ground and sighed. "Get back to your cell, please, Harley. I need to pay _him_ a visit before I need to leave."

"You're leaving," she asked in her normal voice.

"Remember when I told you what I was and what I do?" She nodded. "Something is happening with time and I need to fix it before the damage sets in. Right now I think pieces of other timelines and other worlds are drifting to different Worlds not their own. I'm recharging right now, but I need to head back to the source fast. While I'm here, might as well pay that piece of shit clown a visit."

"Phoenix…"

"I'm not gonna kill him! I'm just gonna make him wish he were dead for hurting you." It turned to her and smiled slightly. "This reminds me, I need to introduce you to someone. I'll be back soon, Harley. Just… please take my words into consideration." I started walking to where I knew the Joker was and left Harley alone. I tried contacting the Citadel again and sighed as nothing happened. "Great. Still nothing. Has Chronika's meddling reached this far?" I noticed a shadow pass over me as I stepped outside and sighed as a figure landed behind me while I put my helmet back on.

"Who are you," asked a gruff but familiar voice. I grinned as I decided to taunt him.

"Thomas Wayne." I turned to him. "Nice to see you again, son."

"Phoenix," said Batman as he got into a semi-relaxed stance. "I thought you were gone."

"And I thought you would try to help Harley."

"I have tried. She's too far gone."

"And yet, she can still listen to reason and has enough in herself to recognize what staying with Joker means. I told you, Batman. Harley can be redeemed."

"She just tried to kill me."

"And she is intelligent enough to come up with a way to do so without allowing you a chance to escape! Like the time she got the drop on you!"

"That was the last time she ever did that."

"You need to change how you treat the Rogue's Gallery." I looked at the plants lining the island. "Especially those two. You're soft on Selena, after all."

"Catwoman is a different matter entirely."

"Is she? Clear signs of Kleptomania, some compulsive lying, not to mention…"

"That's enough. What are you doing here?"

"Passing time while my magic recharges. Thought I'd pay Joker a visit. Looks like I need to check on Pamela as well."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Time is being unraveled in a sense. I need to stop it but a crack between worlds sent me here."

"You mentioned to me before that there are other beings similar to you, right? Is one of these beings the cause?"

"Guess you are the World's Greatest Detective. Yeah. A Titan named Chronika."

"Chronika? The name sounds similar to the Greek Titan Kronos."

"It's probably the same entity just with different names. They both have power over time, after all."

"How long do you plan on staying here?"

"Not long. Because of the break in time, this world and the world I came from are not in sync, but it could change at any moment and I'll feel it when it does. For now it feels like that other world is at a standstill must be driving Chronika mad just a bit."

"Do what you need to do, then go. I have to save Commissioner Gordon."

"Well then good luck, Batman. And tell B- I mean Oracle I said hello. Where's Pamela?"

"Poison Ivy is in the botanical gardens feeling the effects of the Titan formula wear off. Titan…"

"I know what it is, Bats." I made my way to the gardens and looked down into the pit where Pamela Eisley fell after being given the Titan cure. I dropped down and saw her groaning slightly as her body adjusted. "Hey, Red."

"…Go away…" she moaned. I sighed and knelt next to her.

"You ok?"

"Fuck off, Phoenix."

"I'll take that as a yes." I looked at the vines around her as they protected her from all harm. "How'd you know…"

"My plants let me know when you broke into the mentally unstable ward. Nice to see you're still chummy with Batman…"

"And you're bitter. I get it." I stood up. "Hope you feel better, Pamela. This world is a lot less vibrant without you." I started climbing out and grunted as a vine pushed me from beneath and helped me along. I looked down as the vines receded and smiled slightly before making my way to where Joker was hiding. I activated my camouflage tech and climbed the building before getting to the roof. I watched Joker sitting in a chair below me and glared through my helmet before crashing down and landing on top of him. "Joker! Let's talk!"

"Hello, Feeny!" He reached behind me and shocked me with his hand buzzer. I got off him and shook my head, my magic still not enough for me to ignore the jolt. He stood up and dusted off his ridiculous purple jacket. He may not have been the Conqueror version, but any version of the Joker was two things. Insane, and dangerous. "So that was you I saw in the intensive care facility! That was some crash! Hope you got a warm welcome!"

"Shut up. Jim?!"

"O-over here," groaned the Commissioner. I looked behind Joker and found the Commissioner struggling to get up.

"Just rest Jim!"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," exclaimed the clown. "Jimbo's about to take a very long nap!" I saw him aim a syringe gun at the man and shook my head before launching Hanzo's Kusari Kunai at the gun, knocking it from his hand.

"I don't think so!" I dropped to a three-point stance and launched myself at him, tackling him to the ground and away from Jim and the gun. He stood up and continued his grin as he pulled out a knife.

"Well done, Phenom! But you're still no Batman. HAHAHAHAH!" I ran forward and kneed him in the gut before kicking him away. He grinned and lobbed a few cards at me. My tail deflected them away as they exploded, and Joker was on me in a second. He sliced at my chest, the knife scraping against my armor. I flip kicked him into the air before sending out Hanzo's Kunai and pulling him to me. I slammed my palm under his chin and kicked him away before rushing forward and picking up a nearby table and slamming it into his back as Batman ran in. I picked up Joker by the collar and punched him repeatedly before Batman walked over.

"That's enough, Phenom," he said. I slammed Joker's head to the ground and stood up.

"That's for Harley, asshole," I said. I kicked him again in the ribs and turned to Batman. "No more than you've done in the past, Batman." I went to Jim and helped him up. "You alright, Jim?"

"Just fine," he grunted. "Didn't know you were back in town."

"Kind of an 'in the moment' thing." I popped my neck and felt my magic restored enough to open a portal. I turned to Batman. "I need to see Quinn before I leave, so I'm gonna…"

"She's…"

"In her cell." I gestured to the surveillance cameras and showed Harley was sitting in her cell, legs waving back and forth. Batman turned to me.

"You broke her out?"

"And sent her to her actual cell. When it comes to me, she can't say no. I make sense in a way that can override her 'love' of this asshole." I kicked Joker again and grinned. "That last one was for me."

"You know I still have to take you in," said Jim.

"And I'll serve my time when I get back to Gotham. … If I remember to return, that is…"

"Phenom," said Batman.

"I'm going, I'm going." I walked away as I heard Joker move for the syringe gun and shook my head as I heard the roof break behind me. "Sorry, Bats. Not exactly in the mood to fight Titan Joker." I glanced at a black and silver question mark and sighed as I tuned to Riddler's frequency. "Nygma, unless you want all of reality to make literally no sense because of time fully breaking, you'll leave me be. I don't have time to deal with your dumb games you pack of poorly packaged horse shit." I shut off my PipBoy radio before he could get into a rant and ran for the holding cells. I got to hers and smiled as she looked up at me, bored. "Can you try and think on my words?"

"Why?"

"Because you can do better than this life. Better than the Joker. I know you probably can't get back into the psychology field but… you can still help people. And frankly, seeing you constantly behind bars is getting kinda old. Just please, get away from the Joker. All following him will do is send you either back here or straight to Iron Heights. Or something worse." Harley sighed before turning away from me on her bed. "I'll see you later, Harley."

"You better!" She glanced back at me. "Be careful Alby."

"I'm not…"

"I know, you're not Albino. But I can't exactly call you Birdbrain! That's Batman's sidekick!"

"I know." I opened a portal to the Fire Gardens and stepped through as Raiden glowed with red energy from Shinnok's Amulet as he threatened Liu Kang. "Hey!" I ran forward.

"Enough of your madness," shouted Liu Kang. "If you must die, so be it." Raiden and I stopped altogether as we saw timeline after timeline flash through our minds. All with a single outcome repeating each time. Raiden fighting Liu Kang. I groaned and dropped to my knees as Raiden threw away the Amulet. Cassie ran to me as I growled softly.

"Dammit," I said.

"What happened," asked Cass.

"This isn't the first time she's tried this. She's been resetting timelines left, right, and center! And each one she's been influencing events to pit Raiden and Liu Kang against each other."

"We're all pawns in Chronika's scheme," said Raiden. "All but one of us."

"Me. But that's always the case. I'm an outside influence. I'm a monkey wrench in her plans and I am something she could never count on. I just need a way to beat her. My minimal power over time isn't going to cut it. Did team Briggs return with…"

"No," said Jacquie as she and Past Jax walked over. "Chronika's daughter, Cetrion, managed to nab what looked like a crown from the Well of Souls. She had a little help."

"Who?"

"Some guy made of lava," said Jax. "Couldn't lay a finger on him."

"Was he lean or built like Goro?"

"The first one," said Jacquie.

"She recruited this world's Blaze? Why? And how?"

"Who is Blaze," asked Raiden.

"The Catalyst for Armageddon. Didn't strike Chronika as having a sense of humor. Why would Blaze side with her?"

"This Blaze sounds like an Elemental. If that is the case, an Elemental will remain loyal to it's master until either they or their creator dies. After that, a new master can control them."

"And Cetrion killed the other Elder Gods. Argus included. Well that explains that. This is going to be very difficult then."

"I can handle him," said Sub Zero.

"No offense, Grandmaster, but your ice alone isn't enough. My magic is out of the question. If we had Frost…"

"We're in luck then," said Past Jax with a grin. "Cause we didn't come back empty handed. Our shadow helped bring someone back." I looked behind them and saw Skarlet carrying Frost on her shoulders and rushed over.

"Frost!"

"She was reprogrammed and sent with Cetrion and Blaze to slow us down. They left her behind after taking the crown. Jacquie said she was your friend so…"

"Yeah, she is. I can fix her, but it's going to take time."

"Can't you do that time stop thing you use to meditate," asked Cassie. I looked at her. "I do pay attention, Babe." I smiled.

"That could work, hold on." I put a Time Lock around me and Frost and got to work, deciding to give her a more human appearance using the same synthetic skin I use for my mechanical arm, when I have one. I noticed a control module and grinned as I kept it in place, making sure Chronika wouldn't take control of her. I created a set of armor for her using my magic and smiled as I fit it onto her before waking her up. She groaned before rubbing her head and gasped as she felt her fingers.

"What," she asked.

"You're welcome."

"What did you do?"

"I couldn't make your normal human body again, not without the Citadel, but I did manage to give some more human attachments. This synthetic skin connects to your brain and allows you to feel using it. Your entire body is covered in it."

"Did you reconstruct my entire body… and dress me…"

"…Yes. But not in a creepy way."

"The fact that you have to say…"

"Trust me. There is a creepy way." I dropped the Time Lock and grunted slightly as my head started hurting.

"Phoenix," exclaimed Cass.

"I'm ok. It feels like Chronika is going to try and escalate her plans soon. We need to hurry. I'll think of a plan to fight Chronika on the way there."

"What about your magic," asked Raiden. "You will be severely hindered in the Netherrealm."

"I have other means of fighting. I just don't know how to… ARGH!" I gripped my head as cracks in time appeared around us before disappearing. I blinked and looked at Cassie who appeared to have a heavy amount of makeup resembling Harley Quinn on her before it disappeared. "And the bleeding effect from earlier is getting stronger. Other timelines are showing through. Hold on…" I snapped and runes appeared in the air before latching onto the people in the room. I sighed and dropped to a knee. "That should help with keeping you guys stable." I shook my head, not noticing Jacquie looking at where one of the cracks had appeared, lost in thought.

"Phoenix," called General Cage as she wheeled in. "Report!"

"Get your men ready, General. And contact Kitana Khan. In less than an hour, we need to start heading to the Keep. Liu Kang, Kung Lao, go with Sub Zero and Scorpion to speak with Charon. I… have a funeral to arrange." I started walking away as I brought Hanzo's body into my arms. I looked at Jacquie. "Where's Takeda?"

"The training grounds," she said somberly.

"Cassie, go with him," said Sonya. Cass nodded and placed her hand on my back as we headed to the training grounds. Several Shirai Ryu stopped what they were doing as they saw us, and all sounds stopped. Several went to tell others what they had just seen with one going ahead to the training grounds. They told Takeda and he turned around to look at me. I looked at him and he looked to the ground in grief.

"Takeda. By right of succession, because you did not leave the Shirai Ryu, you are next in line to be Grandmaster."

"No," he said. "You were his son. You should…"

"I left. You stayed. F... Grandmaster Hanzo made it clear. I wouldn't be considered if I ever came back. I knew that when I left. You have only remained loyal to the Shirai Ryu. You should be the next Grandmaster."

"I'm not nearly as experienced as you."

"I can't be Grandmaster. I have other responsibilities." I held out the Kunai Kusari and Hanzo's blades. Takeda shook his head. "If I'm supposed to be Grandmaster, you should keep your father's weapons." I sighed and looked down. "And as Grandmaster, I think the Shirai Ryu should remain here in Earthrealm during the assault." I looked at him.

"Takeda."

"No. I've been thinking about this a lot and was planning to speak with Master Hanzo about it. We will be more effective as a defensive unit against any Netherrealm Incursions, we're shinobi, not elite warriors. While you and I can fight hand to hand because of our training, the rest of the clan was trained only in true shinobi methods. Information gathering, sabotage, guerilla tactics. They won't last long in a straight up fight. We're not like the Lin Kuei who were taught all manners of fighting." I nodded.

"Sorry, I forgot about that." I turned to him after another Shirai Ryu took Hanzo from me. "You're right. We're better off acting as the defensive units. I've been so focused on trying to stop Chronika I haven't been paying attention to our forces and where to best allocate them. I've fought in wars, dammit and I've forgotten the main principles in combat, place your units where they'd be most effective. This entire Crisis is throwing me for a loop and now… with Father…"

"I understand." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Leave that job to myself, Grandmaster Kuai Liang, Empress Kitana and General Blade. We'll focus on the forces you try and devise a way to beat Chronika. You're the expert in this matter." I sighed. I turned to Cass as she rubbed my back and smiled slightly in thanks. "We'll save Master's funeral for after we win. Go rest. We need everyone ready for the invasion."

"I'll take him," said Cassie. She brought me to the room she was given as private quarters and turned to me. "Are you ok?"

"No." I sat on her bed as she sat beside me. "I'm starting to weaken. If I'm starting to feel like this, I can only imagine what Kira is going through. And with space starting to be affected as well, Tyra won't be far behind. Chronika is distorting time and space all to gain strength and manipulate both at once. She wants her perfect balance and won't stop till she achieves it. Never mind it would mean destruction. And adding to that…" I paused as she laid me down.

"Stop." She climbed on top of me and looked me in the eye. "Calm down and breathe. Nothing is going to get done until you think things through. And the stress of this situation is going to kill you." I gave her a look. "You know what I mean. If you can't focus, you can't fight. So take a moment to yourself."

"And how do you suggest I do that?"

"Well… I guess I could find some time to help you…" I chuckled as she removed her tactical armor and jacket, revealing her white tank top.

"Well as long as you're offering…" I helped her remove her shirt and bra and grinned before pinning her to the bed. "I might as well take you up on it." I kissed her as I kneaded her breast lightly, eliciting a soft moan from her before she held me back.

"Wait. Do that time stop thing around us so we're not disturbed."

"One Time Lock coming up."

* * *

**(Gareth POV)**

I rubbed my temples as another headache started coming on. The twins were out of commission, and now Alma's outbursts against Shinnok had not only costed me my bait, but had knocked out the communications array for the Citadel so we couldn't contact Phoenix and find out just what the hell was going on down there! Damn those Elder Gods! I warned them something like this would happen! I called up Gallio as I opened the Fate Note and looked at the cracks in time. "Gallio…"

"If you're calling for an update, you can stop. Alma's Reality Burst shorted out the coms. It'll take me a while to get through everything and I'm starting with our security. I'm not about to start with anything else until we know if there's an intruder."

"Hurry the hell up! I need to know what Phoenix is doing down there! Chronika's manipulations are starting to pull other worlds apart!"

"I am working as fast as I can. Don't rush me." I growled as he shut off his monitor and looked at the Note as more cracks appeared before they receded.

"Gareth," said one of the Moirai behind me. "We may have something that can help. Can the Fate Note show us where Chronika currently is?" I turned to the book and had it flip to Chronika.

"Sea of Blood in the… Christ. The Netherrealm?! Of all the…"

"Seems Phoenix won't be at full strength. Luckily, Alma's outburst seems to have given the Citadel a.. special extension with a very unique addition."

"And what good would that be if we can't interfere?"

"You can't," said a woman behind me. I turned around and spotted a young woman wearing a white outfit with feminine knight armor styled in old French infantry from the early 13th century. "But perhaps I can lend some assistance."

"Clotho. What addition was added to the Citadel?"

"A Throne," said the crone as I chuckled. "And Sarah has already started sending Phoenix a vessel."

"For once, the brat has done good. It's a shame…"

"Should we tell him?"

"…Not until the job is done. We can't have him distracted, especially if the Throne being here means what I think it means."

* * *

**(Phoenix's POV)**

Cass and I held each other on her bed and let our breathing get back to normal. "You don't disappoint," she said with a grin.

"I aim to please," I replied. I pulled her close and kissed her. We stayed like that for a moment before moving to get out of bed and restore our clothes. She glanced at me as I helped her with her bra.

"Can't you just snap and put our clothes back in order," she asked.

"I don't use my powers to be lazy. I'm not your dad, or you." She pouted slightly before I kissed her cheek and pulled my chestplate back in place, letting the armor morph back around my body.

"You need to get me an armor like that."

"I will. Just as soon as I perfect this one. It's still in the prototype stage. Besides isn't my armor a bit…"

"Revealing for me? Who said I wanted it for combat?" I blushed slightly as she winked and we finished getting dressed. She turned to me. "So, how long has passed out there?"

"Barely a second. Mastering a Time Lock was one of my first accomplishments as a Verser. It's good for training. Among other things." I pulled her close to me as we smiled.

"Why don't you use it more often?"

"I have a partial connection to time. Returning to sync gives me a bit of a whiplash effect I'm still not used to. The longer the Time Lock, the larger the effect. If I had a better affinity with Time, it would be a different story." I gave her one last kiss before snapping, dropping the Time Lock. A knock at the door brought our attention to Jacquie as she walked in and looked between us before looking at Cass.

"Did you just…" she started with an intrigued smirk.

"Briggs. What is it?"

"Oh, I had an idea on how to beat Chronika."

"At this point any idea is welcome."

"I got to thinking after seeing those cracks. Those are different timelines, right?"

"Yeah. And they're bleeding into this one. Which is why we need to stop Chronika as soon as possible."

"Is it possible to go into those timelines?"

"Why?"

"She's linked to Time, right? And she's drawing power from time to keep her loop in place to break time, right?"

"Jacquie," said Cass. "Where are you going with this?"

"What if we use time breaking against her? Trap her in the loop and cordon it off, like a virus."

"Jacquie, I love you but that's…"

"Genius," I said. Cassie turned to me.

"What?"

"I can't lock her in the loop, though. But… a paradox system could work…"

"I'm sorry," said Jacquie. "Paradox as in like what happened to Kano?"

"Yeah. Just on a celestial scale… Both of you follow me and call General Blade. I just thought of a way to potentially beat Chronika once and for all."


	8. Chapter 8

I meditated in a Time Lock, my mind adjusting to the cracks in time and space beyond the closed off zone. Already, the effects of whatever Chronika was doing were starting to wear on my health. I was waiting on one of the ships in Charon's fleet while my magic was closed off. I managed to summon a spare sword and shield which I had on my waist and back respectively before closing off my magic as I entered the hellish realm. My body adjusted to the lack of magic and I dropped the Time Lock. Skarlet turned to me as she saw the shimmer of the cracks of time disappear. "Master," she said.

"I told you just to call me Phoenix, Skarlet."

"As long as you hold that Kamidogu, I am compelled to call you Master." I sighed and stood up. "Will you be able to combat Chronika without your magic?"

"It will be difficult, but I can manage. I've been trained by the most battle-hardened teachers I've ever met. I haven't mastered any of my fighting styles but that simply gives me a wider repertoire to use from. I'll be fine."

"Even so, Chronika is a Titan. I doubt it will be as simple as you think it to be."

"Are you concerned for me, Skarlet?"

"I simply do not want to become a slave to Chronika if she obtains the Kamidogu after killing you."

"Nice to see you have some faith in me." We walked out onto the deck. Past Sonya turned to me.

"Are you sure your plan will work," she asked.

"No, but what other choice do we have? Chronika is escalating her plans. With the souls she obtained from Shang Tsung's Island, her crown can increase her power exponentially." We looked around us as cracks formed in the air. I spotted Harley's world briefly before the cracks disappeared. I turned to the helm. "Charon? Is there any way to increase our speed?!"

"Not unless you can control the winds or decrease the weight of each boat, Master Mason," he shouted.

"Phoenix," shouted Past Johnny from the top of the mast. "What the hell am I looking for?!"

"A very large castle! If not that, then signs we're getting close! Rocks, a beach! Anything!" I turned as a worried looking Kitana walked to me. "Kitana Khan." I bowed to her. She waved her hand and I rose to full height. "Again I am sorry about…"

"Do not worry," she said. Mere moments before our forces mobilized, Chronika appeared and had managed to incapacitate myself and Raiden while everyone else was frozen in time. With us out of the picture, she was able to abduct Liu Kang. A precise move to make sure Raiden and Liu Kang would not be able to fight her together. When I spotted her, I paused. Something about her crown felt familiar. I couldn't place it. It felt like I'd seen the golden headpiece before. "Liu Kang is strong. Chronika will not break him so easily."

"It's not her breaking him that has me worried. Something she said about him and Raiden working together would be something to stop her. But even if they fought side by side, she still has more power. I don't know what has her scared of them, but my plan should work in our favor."

"Hey," shouted Johnny. "We've got company!" I looked to the fog we were approaching and used my helmet's visor to zoom in as Cassie used her binoculars.

"Shit."

"Battleships," said Charon. "My ships cannot fight a war."

"This fleet is under my protection," said Raiden. He addressed us. "If Charon falls our fleet cannot sail. Defend him at all costs."

"Johnny," I shouted. "How many do you see?!"

"Three," he shouted. "All armored to high heaven and carrying those robot ninjas!" I grinned before turning to Frost who gave me an angry look.

"You kept the control chip in me didn't you?"

"I did. And with a little boost from Raiden, you should be able to take control of a number of the Cyber Lin Kuei." She glared at me before walking to Raiden.

"I will kill you for this later."

"No, you won't."

"It's gonna ram us," shouted Past Jax.

"Brace!" The lead ship ran into the side of the ship we were on and the ship holding the Shaolin. The other two ships started turning in an attempt to trap us in and close off our escape. A moment of silence followed the creaking of metal against wood as both ships came to a stop. The silence was broken as Raiden channeled energy into Frost and fighting was heard on all three enemy ships while several Cyber Lin Kuei jumped down onto our ship and began fighting the SF soldiers. Frost looked at me as Raiden stopped the flow of energy.

"I've managed to bring some of the Cyber Lin Kuei to our side by giving them back their free will," she said. I looked up as I felt the air get hotter.

"And just in time." Blaze dropped down in front of me and we started circling each other. "Lead him to Kuai Liang! Work together to beat him!"

"Fine!" She launched Ice Spears at the Elemental, drawing his attention to her. The two started fighting as more cracks appeared around the ships. I heard heavy footfalls behind me and turned around. My shoulders dropped as I saw a T-800 step onto the boat.

"Mother fucker…" Its scanners zeroed in on me. I got into a fighting stance as he leveled a shotgun in my direction. I blinked as he fired and hit a Cyber Lin Kuei sneaking behind me. I turned to him cautiously.

"Where am I?"

"In the wrong fucking timeline. Skynet does not exist in this timeline."

"That is obvious." I glared at him before looking around. "As much as I don't want to do this, I need your help."

"Why?"

"There is a deity named Chronika. She is the reason you are here. She's messing with the fabric of time and her actions have brought you into this timeline. I can get you into your original timeline so you can continue your mission of terminating John Connor only if you help us."

"Why would I help you?"

"Let me put it this way. If Chronika wins, her manipulations of time will see that machines no longer exist. If you don't help me, it's technically a paradoxical self-termination and I know the T-800 can't self-terminate. I'm also a man of my word. You help me…" I held out my hand to him. "I help you." He stared at me before looking at my hand. He looked me in the eye once more.

"Your logic is sound. I detect no attempts at deception in your voice. Very well. I shall terminate this Chronika to return to my timeline." I sighed as a Cyber Lin Kuei attempted to stab the terminator, only for it to do nothing and he leveled his shotgun at its head before blowing it apart. I shook my head as Cassie and Johnny stood beside me.

"Is that," asked Johnny.

"Yeah. Just… stay out of his way. Cass, can you try and find a way to…" I grunted as a metallic appendage slammed into me and I was lifted above the deck of the ship. I slammed my fists into the back of my attacker, hearing the sound of flesh on metal until I was dropped again onto the deck. I groaned and stood up to see a mechanically enhanced D'Vorah glaring at me. "You should've been scratching for cover at the beach."

"Chronika saw fit to rescue me from my torment. You will pay for the death of the Hive, Phoenix," she said. I chuckled and shook my head.

"You just never learn, do you?" I charged forward, bringing my shield to the front with one swift motion before slamming it into the cyber-bug. D'Vorah extended mechanical pincers from her back, aiming at my neck. I deflected them before drawing my sword and bisecting one of the pincers. D'Vorah snarled at me before slamming into me again and lifting me into the air. She flew for the deck at high speed and crashed me into the ship. I stood up and shook my head to clear the haze before deflecting the second pincer. She grabbed ahold of me and her free hand turned into a scorpion's claw. It closed around my neck and she lifted me into the air before slamming me down. I cut off her claw and extended blades from my shield before slicing it at her leg, cutting off the same one I broke on the beach. I kneed her in the face before slamming the butt of my sword into her neck. With a flick, I cut off her wings and pinned her to the mast of the shield with the shield's blades. I growled and swung the sword down, cutting her head straight down the middle.

Her body slumped and I started walking away to help fight the Cyber Lin Kuei. The whistling of an arrow caught my attention and I turned around to see a larva looking insect with fluttering wings slowly dying with an arrow sticking out of it. It turned to where the arrow came from and spotted the former Night Wolf sniping Cyber Lin Kuei after giving me a quick nod. I breathed a sigh of relief before hearing another thud behind me. I turned around and spotted Geras, now wearing full armor complete with a helmet, standing in front of me. "You cannot win," he said. "Chronika is close to victory. The cracks of time have already started to show."

"I'm a stubborn asshole. I'm not going to lose without putting up one hell of a goddamn fight!" I punched him and his head instantly snapped forward as he grabbed my fist as I tried punching him again.

"I have died over a thousand deaths for this moment. You cannot beat me."

"Won't know until I try!" I kicked him away from me before slamming my shield to his face. I turned my sword into a spear and impaled it through his abdomen. He kicked me away and casually pulled the spear out before tossing it over the side. "Oh, come on! That was one of my favorite spears! You better have a thousand dollars on y…" I ducked under a punch and backed into a clone of him made of sand. It held me in place as Geras formed a giant fist of sand and landed a solid hit right in my chest. I coughed up some blood before being sucked into a sand vortex, was shot up and got my chest smashed by two sandstone hammers. I coughed as I dropped to a knee. "You know that move is kinda annoying. Didn't peg you as a one-trick pony." I grinned as he picked me up and called my spear back. It ran through his head and circled back around into my hand. I kicked him into the mast and turned to Raiden who received the same vision as I did. We knocked the chains of the anchor down and I turned to the T-800. "Hey, big guy! Help me with this!" The Terminator walked over, and he wrapped the thousand-pound chains around Geras. Raiden blasted the anchor into the water.

"Drowning will not kill me!"

"Then I feel sorry for you, Geras," said Raiden. "The Sea of Blood has no bottom." I grinned as Geras' eyes widened. "You will fall forever." He tried taking an angry step toward us and shouted as he was dragged below the waves.

"A bottomless sea," said the Terminator. "That is not possible."

"Maybe for your timeline, big guy," I said as I pat his back. He glanced at where my hand hit him before looking back at me and turning to the ships.

"There are two more enemy ships."

"Yeah. No idea how to deal with them. We don't exactly have…" I ducked as cannon fire sounded and one of the battleships exploded. I stared at the wreckage as more cannons sounded. The second ship exploded as well and this time I saw an energy beam had struck it. "What the…" I looked at where they came from and saw a 14th century British ship starting to sail away. Just as it was about to head out of sight, I spotted a woman with a red coat showing an ample amount of cleavage and long pink hair waving at me with a smirk before her ship disappeared. "Drake…?"

"Coming about," shouted Charon as the ships veered away from the battleship. I looked at the top of the ship and spotted a single Cyber Lin Kuei overlooking the battle. Wisps of smoke came off his body and I sighed before picking up a rifle.

"Dammit, Smoke. Why you?" I took careful aim and took a shot. The bullet managed to catch him unawares and with him, the Cyber Lin Kuei not under Frost's command fell. I turned to where I last saw Sub Zero and Frost and spotted them completely freezing Blaze. I noticed the Terminator keeping a close observation of my friends' various abilities and glared slightly before walking to them. "All good?"

"Blaze is secure," said Kuai Liang.

"Good."

"Land ho," shouted Charon. I turned around and spotted the fog lifting and revealing a beach with a fortress tucked away inside a cliff. I frowned as I spotted a lone dinghy floating towards us, a single person standing in it. I blinked as I saw what would start soon and turned to Raiden.

"It's Liu Kang's Revenant. Stall for time. I'm going to check our numbers." Raiden nodded as Liu Kang jumped onto the ship, burning through the main sail. I picked up a radio. As Raiden went to confront Liu Kang. "All forces check in. Numbers."

"We've lost ten Shaolin Masters," answered Kung Lao.

"The Shokan managed to eliminate any Cyber Lin Kuei that got onto our ship," said Jade. "No casualties here."

"My lieutenant reports 13 dead among the Special Forces," said General Blade who was keeping an eye on things from Earthrealm via heartrate monitors.

"25 dead from the Lin Kuei," said Kuai Liang. "It may have been more had you and Frost not turned a few of the Cyber Lin Kuei to our side."

"Tarkatans have suffered no losses," snarled Baraka.

"Same with the Black Dragons," said Kabal. "Our ship was bringing up the rear, so we missed the action."

"All ships stand by," I said as I turned to Raiden who managed to get in close to Liu Kang. Thunder sounded as lightning struck the two of them. I turned to the shore and spotted lightning striking the Keep as well. I turned back to the two and Raiden was gone. Instead, Liu Kang stood alone. Only he was no longer a Revenant. He looked human once more and his eyes glowed white as lightning and fire coursed all around him.

"Talk about an upgrade," I muttered.

"Whoa," said Cass.

"Liu Kang," asked Sub Zero.

"I am," replied Liu Kang. "And I am not."

"What happened to Raiden," asked Jax.

"He's combined his soul with Liu Kang's," I said. "They are now one and the same. A god of fire and lightning."

"A god," asked Kitana. "Incredible."

"Now he's out of her lead," muttered Kung Lao. I turned to the beach and breathed deeply before spotting something just along the shore that hadn't been there before.

"I know where to find the Hourglass," said Liu Kang, bringing my attention back to him. "I can guide the Kombatants there. I believe we can defeat Chronika."

"Good," I said as I removed my helmet. I put it back into my Omni-Boy before turning to the generals. "Is anyone injured?"

"Not enough to hinder our fighting force," said Jade. I nodded and sighed before looking at the beach one more time.

"Tell the armies to storm the beach on the signal. Liu Kang, make a path for them! I'm going on ahead!"

"Wait," exclaimed Cass. "What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Getting a gift from the council. Guess they saw where I was." I climbed into Liu Kang's dinghy and made my way to the beach before the landing parties. When I got there, I saw a young woman waiting for me, her back to me as we watched several thousand oni starting to leave the Keep. I glanced at her and started speaking in French. "This is not a place for a beautiful lady such as yourself."

"Flattery will get you nothing, Phoenix," she replied. I turned to her and switched to English.

"Ruler. How are you here?"

"How did you get to be what you are?" She smiled at me. "The Council."

"But how? You're supposed to be…"

"In the Throne of Heroes, yes. It's just found a new place to reside." She handed me a gauntlet before turning to the incoming oni. "Wretched looking things, aren't they?"

"Well they're demons, so." I put on the gauntlet and felt my magic unsealing as the gauntlet suppressed the negative energy of the Netherrealm. I looked up as the oni launched a volley of fireballs at us as the ships started hitting the beach. Ruler stepped in front of me.

"Here's the work of the Lord. My flag, defend my brethren! Luminosité Eternelle!" A barrier of light shone from her flag and stopped the fireballs from hitting the armies as they stormed the beach. Several oni who came into contact with the barrier burned up, forcing the oni army to halt while the allied forces charged for them. Ruler dropped the barrier before turning to me. "When you are done here, head straight to the Citadel. Oh, and before I forget. A gift from your king." She handed me a cloth covered blade. "One use only. Make it count." She kissed my cheek before disappearing in a brilliant light as Cassie, Skarlet and Frost ran over to me after the ships docked.

"Who was that," asked Cassie.

"That was uh…" I paused as I looked at the sword. "Joan of Arc…" I removed the cloth from the hilt and saw blue and gold. I stared at it before putting the cloth back. "Ok… Never before have I been more worried if my king is allowing me to use this."

"What is that," asked Skarlet.

"Um…" I placed it into my Omni-Boy and shook my head. "A last resort. Come on. We need to get to the Keep. Allied Forces! Charge!"

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Sorry this is short, y'all. Long drawn out fights aren't really how Phoenix does things. He goes for the kill quickly and in whatever way he can. Finale is coming up soon guys before I start working on the second story in the Metaverse Time Crisis Arc. Keep your eyes open and alerts on for what comes next. Until next time, Y'all!**


	9. Chapter 9

The Allied Forces of Earthrealm and Outworld stormed forward, the Special Forces acting as a vanguard, their firepower cutting down oni after oni, swapping between soldiers to reload and back up the Shokan who were using their unmatched strength to eliminate the Netherrealm army. Behind them, the other armies were cleaning up the stragglers who managed to make it through the holes in the vanguard offense. The Shaolin Monks and Osh-Tek warriors stood side by side as they backed up the vanguard with the Lin Kuei and Tarkatans taking care of the flanks. While they were occupying the army of oni, I created a bridge to lead the Kombatants over the fighting and breathed deeply. "You ok," asked Cassie.

"Yeah. Even with this gauntlet, and I have a feeling I know who made it, the Netherrealm is taxing. Between the bridge, the invisibility spell concealing it and us and the clones down in the thick of it, I figure I've got another few hours before I need to seal my magic again." We looked to our left as Liu Kang, utilizing his new god status to the fullest extent, started assisting the Allied Forces.

"Why can't you do that?"

"I can, I just don't do it."

"Why not." I gestured to Liu Kang.

"Useful as it is, I prefer blending in, not standing out like that. The least amount of people aware of me, the better." I glanced at Kitana. "Will your armies be alright?"

"Do not underestimate us so easily, Phoenix," she replied. "We've known Kombat our whole lives." I looked at Kotal.

"How're the braces?" Before we set out, I managed to make two sets of mechanical leg braces for both Kotal and General Blade. Despite the braces, General Blade decided to sit out with Present-Jax and Johnny, all claiming that their past selves would be able to handle it.

"They will take some time to get used to," said the former Khan. "Thank you. I don't know what I would've done if I was left behind while my people and my love fought with their lives." Jade gave him an appreciative glance as we made our way to the entrance to the keep. I managed to blast them open with a precise Wind spell timed with one of Liu Kang's attacks. The Kombatants made their way in and I merged with my clone who was fighting with the soldiers. I turned to Liu Kang.

"They're inside."

"Good," said the new Fire God. "Will this work?"

"Only one way to find out." We nodded and he led the way to the Hourglass, the source of Chronika's power. I kicked open the door to the chamber and grinned. "Honey! I'm home!" Chronika glanced at us with an annoyed look as Cassie smacked my shoulder. Revenant Kung Lao, Jade, Kabal and Kitana glared at us as Cetrion held back a slight chuckle while helping her mother.

"I've been expecting you," said Chronika. I looked around as more cracks formed before disappearing. "My plan is almost complete." I looked at the crown she wore and saw it was gold in color. Its energy felt familiar other than the presence of thousands of souls within it. Flashes of the other timelines where she attempted this flashed and the color of the crown was the same every time. White, the same color as the mechanical armor enhancements on her body and minions. I shook my head and glared at the Titan.

"What is that thing?" Chronika paused in her manipulations and looked at me.

"Something beyond your comprehension."

"Not likely." She glanced at the Kombatants.

"More of them this time," she muttered, almost too softly for me to hear. I wasted no time and used the shadows to pull Cetrion away from the Hourglass and forcing a Time Lock around us and out of Chronika's reach.

"What is this," asked Cetrion as she saw the distorted images of the Hourglass Chamber around us.

"A Time Lock. A form of Time Manipulation unique only to a specific Multiverse that I mastered a long time ago. You and I are going to have a little chat, Cetrion."

"You are attempting to turn me against my mother. You will have better luck trying to kill me."

"I'm not in the business of killing people who fight for the good guys. You are the semblance of light, just as Shinnok was the darkness. You have to see that the balance your mother is pursuing is not a good thing."

"My mother…"

"Is insane. She longs for something so much it has driven her to insanity. Look at what's been happening! She's been pulling people from defunct timelines to this world and you can't tell me you haven't noticed the cracks showing the alternate timelines." Cetrion glared at me but made no move to attack me. "What she's doing right now puts all worlds, not just the ones in this Multiverse, in jeopardy. She's trying to manipulate both Time and Space! Worlds that were never meant to meet are going to collide and from those collisions! Her balance of this one world will see all of Reality thrown to Chaos and destruction!" I heard my PipBoy beep, signaling a connection to the Citadel and homed in on Kira, showing her and Tyra both lying in their bed, cracks forming in both of them as scars from Chronika's manipulations.

"Who are they?"

"The Manifestations of Time and Space. What your mother is doing is killing them and if they die, one of the basic foundations of Reality will fail. Time, which mortals perceive as a straight line, will start to coil in on itself, people from different time periods and eras will meet when they were never supposed to. And in all of these worlds, your brother's influence will spread and yours will die as those who walk in the light turn to darkness just to survive." Cetrion stayed silent as I cut the feed and looked her dead in the eye. "Your mother's plan is ultimately insane and if you think about it enough, evil. It is your duty to stop her." Cetrion thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"Mother is too powerful now. She used some artifact I've never seen before to make her Crown. It, along with the souls she stored within, have made her too powerful to deal with."

"That's why I have a plan. But first, tell me about this artifact."

Chronika glared at me as I dropped the Time Lock and stared her down, Cetrion moving behind me and to the Kombatants side. "You've managed to turn Cetrion against me faster than Liu Kang would have."

"What can I say, I have very high Charisma stat." She looked at me and Liu Kang.

"But your accomplishment and Raiden combining with Liu Kang is far too little, and far too late." She began her final ministrations and I felt the flow of time starting to reverse. She looked at us, as if to see the look on my face when I realized she had won, only to falter as Cass moved up beside me with a grin.

"You know," she said. "Here's the thing about my boyfriend here. One, he has a small amount of power over Space and Time. Two, he has extensive knowledge of Chronomancy. Three, another of his girlfriends shares his soul. Four, that girlfriend happens to be an Angel of Time. And Five, because of facts 1,2, and 4, he can temporarily remove someone from the flow of time."

"You'd be surprised what a little preparation can do. But then again, you already thought of that, didn't you. Limiting Raiden's movements by establishing a base in the Netherrealm, turning Liu Kang and Raiden against one another in one form or another, promising futures to your minions who think you will keep your word when, when everything is said and done, they'll have no memory of any promise made to them. Oh and my favorite part, bending Space/Time to acquire a Wish Granting artifact to increase your power and make sure you win in enough Major Timelines for it to count. You only needed a few more timelines to fall in your favor, but you knew from the existing balance ensured by the Council, I'm assuming you retained memories of your time with them, that your wish was impossible. But here's where you fucked up. By bending Space/Time, you made me aware of the now converging Timelines and how many people I needed to bring you down."

Cassie looked at me with mock confusion "Whatever do you mean, Hon?"

"I'm glad you asked, Cassie. See, alone, Chronika's power, even with her unique crown, still wasn't enough to ensure victory. So I did a little digging. Turns out, Chronika here has linked with several alternate versions of herself, adding to their already existing power, not to mention breaking a number of Natural Laws. But see, now that we know that…" I grinned as the cracks reformed around us. The clone who threw Cetrion to me and remained hidden in the shadows shot the crown off of Chronika's head with Zafkiel's flintlock, pausing the reversal at the very moment the cracks disappeared. Several different versions of unhindered Chronika's looked through the cracks in surprise.

"We can kick your ass," said Jacquie.

"Move now!" Liu Kang and I blasted the Revenants away from the group as each of our Kombatants ran through a crack and began attacking Chronika across her connected Timelines. Chronika reobtained the Crown and swapped places with an alternate timeline version of herself. I nodded to Liu Kang before giving chase through the cracks. I slammed into her and kicked her away from me before propelling myself down on top of her with a jet of flames behind me. She coughed as I pulled off her crown and she gripped her sides, the simultaneous attacks on her linked Timelines starting to affect her. "Doesn't feel good, huh?" I kicked her up into the air before making a crack of my own and bringing her into it.

We appeared atop a familiar pyramid and I stood before her. "Figured we could use a change of scenery! Since you loved the poetic nature of recruiting Blaze to your cause to bring about Armageddon, I figured we should bring this to the only change in time you had no control over! Raiden's last moments during Armageddon!" Thunder struck above us in the Outworld sky. Bodies of dead warriors circled the pyramid and lined its steps where the original version of Raiden and Shao Khan in this timeline lay frozen just a few steps away. Chronika glared at me as I melted the crown and released the souls trapped within before reshaping the molten material back to its original shape, a golden chalice. "You know, I hate this damn thing. Seven Heroic Spirits to activate a wish. Such a waste, if you ask me. The Holy Grail. How on Earth did you think to cross Time/Space to obtain this nifty little trinket?"

Chronika stood up before composing herself, temporarily ignoring the pain she was feeling. "Echoes of the Grail Wars reached this Multiverse."

"And you broke the Rules to obtain it. Let me guess, you just outright killed the Servants in this Grail War to obtain it."

"It was given to me." I turned to her.

"What?"

"A man who had obtained it handed it to me to do with as I see fit. He had six others similar in power and one greater. He seemed to know who I was and what I wanted. That is how I obtained this Holy Grail."

"Who was he?"

"I know not his name. All memories of him have been somehow erased from my mind." I glared before slipping the Grail into my shadow.

"If you've got no more than that to give me, then it seems you've lived long enough."

"Do you think you can defeat me. No doubt you are acting as a tether to ensure your friends return to their Timeline safely. Such a burden must be a drain on your energy."

"One I can handle."

"Then allow me to test that." She floated off the ground and I got out a shield, Hanzo's chains wrapped around my wrists.

"Gladly." I charged forward and threw my shield as orbs of temporal energy flew at me. My shield intercepted and flew right back at me before returning to my inventory. I kicked her and ignited my chains before backhanding her backwards. A ball appeared above her and a beam of temporal energy shot at me. I glanced at one of the links and coordinated my attack with Scorpion before we both disappeared in flames and attacked her from behind, burning her in the process. She gasped as two flashes of the same attack spread throughout her links while memories of not being hit like that echoed as well and she hesitated as the pain from me and Scorpion caused her to focus on us, leaving her open to strikes from the others.

"Paradox…"

"That's right, bitch," me and Cass said at the same time, after a little rehearsing on the trip to the Keep. On and on this went, coordinated attacks from two different timelines followed by alternating attacks from the others. Chronika soon adapted and stopped focusing on the coordinated attacks to better defend herself individually. All this led to was disorientation as my shadows switched everyone around the Timelines at the same time, so she wasn't fighting the same individual fight anymore, resulting in more confusion.

"See, thing about time is this," I said before upper cutting her into the air and slamming her down with a little gravity magic. Even if you're a deity, when you're linked like this and memories conflict, it starts to mess with your brain just a little bit. Whereas if you're the same being spread across multiple worlds, a single occurrence can affect every version at once, given the right circumstances. Because you've linked with yourself, you fall under both categories. Double the experience…"

"Double the backlash," said Johnny before he kicked her into the air. As she stood back up, dazed, Johnny knocked her into the Hourglass. He watched as it shattered and a piece of glass removed her arm while she tried to crawl for the crown that had been knocked off her head only for another piece of glass to bisect her head in two and the Hourglass, which had started reforming itself, sucked her into it.

The memory of the death spread across the linked Timelines and Chronika gripped her head in fear in each one, dropping their guard. I knelt in front of my Chronika and grinned. "Now, we both know what'll happen if you experience the same death each time. Your mind starts accepting it as the projected version of death and you start conflicting with memories of being alive in the same instance of time while dying the exact same way at multiple points in time. Then if you are killed a different way, well… the memoreis start conflicting, and for deities, it's on a different scale than mortals. See, they experience headaches and sometimes start conflicting with their own memories. Deities, especially time deities, need to follow the norm no matter what or the conflicting memory starts to interfere with their own static memories. It's even more dangerous when you're in multiple places at once since the strain of dying throughout Time _and_ Space, is too much. If only you were naturally omnipresent. Such a thing wouldn't occur." I looked up through the cracks of time as I felt something off and saw time starting to reverse for some of them.

"Your control of time is pathetic," said Chronika. "Already my other versions have diverted your friends' attention from their fights with me to further our plans. Johnny Cage may have killed me, but I will not…" She grunted as she gripped her head, an Alternate Liu Kang having killed her along with Kung Lao in some prehistoric jungle. The others were starting to gain ground as well. I grappled with her before putting her into strangle hold. Cetrion, Kitana, Cassie and Jax were next to kill her before they picked up the crown. "What are they doing?"

"Solidifying the Timelines and making your deaths permanent by creating alternate offshoots without conflicting with their own existence while in there."

"They don't know how to properly manipulate Time. The strain will kill them."

"Not if they are wearing those crowns you so lovingly crafted to strengthen your control over time in the other timelines." I cringed as the T-800 killed its Chronika and placed the crown on his head before heading towards the Hourglass. "Oh that can't be good." We watched as they started taking control of their timelines. The rest of the fighters were once more distracted, allowing their Chronika's to progress the reversal of time to a point where my connections to them were starting to slip. A place where Chaos was dominant.

"They won't survive. And neither will you." She broke out of my hold as I got hit with a beam of temporal energy and was pulled away from her before I forced myself out.

"Ok! I'm really getting sick of that!" I pulled a minigun from my OmniBoy inventory and started unloading a hail of gunfire in her direction. She turned into sand and disappeared behind me before sweeping my legs out from under me. I disappeared in flames before appearing above her and landing an axe kick on her head. She bounced off of the ground and I impaled several stone spikes into her before launching her into the air. I launched the Kunai into her chest and pulled her to the ground, hard. She turned to sand and righted herself before she could impact and I grinned as I sent a grenade beneath her and summoned a sword before aiming a slice for her head as she flew to me. I hit her shoulder and knocked her into the ground. I thought about bringing out the gift I was given but felt it would be helpful for later. I punted her down the pyramid and leapt into the sky before landing on her with my knees as I moved the rifts in front of us. Chronika started bleeding from her eyes and nose as her memories across the Timelines conflicted with each other. Memories of being alive and dead at the same moment in time. As more people achieved victory the same way, it was getting easier for her to tell the difference between which memories to ignore as the remaining links began fighting back harder. Chronika threw me off of her and shouted out as she caught me with a Temporal blast and knocked me into the pyramid.

"It's over for you." I screamed as she used her power to lift me into the air and snapped me in half. I looked down at my chest in surprise as my blood spurted everywhere before she rewound time, restoring me before she ripped me in half straight down the middle and my vision was split in two. I was restored once more before I was flayed. I watched as my skin and armor hung above my face, my nerves on fire from the wind howling around us and agitating the muscle that never should've been exposed. She restored me and repeated the cycle again. I vaguely remember hearing her laughing as the cycle of killing continued. The cracks in her memories and personal Timeline must've been driving her into madness as she wouldn't stop. She could've easily killed me once and been done with it, but something drove her to keep killing me. I guess keeping her mind solely on killing me was the only way for her to keep her mind off of the conflicting memories and their damaging effects on her mind. She should've been paying attention.

Something I learned about my clones was it was easy for me to swap conscious control from my original body to a clone. Useful for assassinations and needing an alibi to keep enemies off my back when they're trying to catch me in the act. And when I'm being repeatedly killed. I shot out of the shadows and snatched Shao Kahn's hammer from his hand, still frozen in time. "Remember me, Bitch?!" Chronika stopped herself from flaying me once more and turned just to get a massive war hammer to the face. I swapped back to my original body and grabbed hold of her as she was knocked into me. I used my magic to transfigure my hand into a set of claws, similar in shape to those of Alex Mercer, and stabbed them into her jaw. I ripped her jaw from her body before dropping her to the ground and having my clone slam the war hammer down on her head. A ripple of overwhelming Temporal energy shot from her corpse and the cracks of time started getting hit with the energy as well as myself. "Better act fast." I picked up her corpse, placed the hammer back in place and slipped through the crack back to the Keep.

"Everyone back yet?"

"No," said Cassie as she looked at one of the cracks in worry. I turned and spotted Jacquie knocking Chronika into the Hourglass at the same time Liu Kang turned his Chronika into glass and broke her apart. Jacquie picked up her crown and hesitated before turning to the crack. "What is she doing?" I watched as she saluted before turning to the Hourglass and restarting the timeline.

"Shit, no!" I jumped through the crack and ran over to her as a sand clone of herself held me back. "Jacquie, stop!"

"I have to do this, Phoenix," she said as she focused on her father's timeline. I watched as she prevented Jax from being killed and revived as a revenant. She groaned as she clutched at her stomach, the clone fading away with a gust of wind as the sands of time swallowed it up. I grabbed hold of her and threw the crown away before dragging her through the crack right as it started to close. I looked at it as it was still partially open as Time worked to correct the paradox.

"Jacquie," shouted Cassie and past Jax.

"She's still linked to that Timeline," I said. "Dammit…" I called up the Citadel. "Gallio! Anyone! I need help here!"

"Phoenix," responded Gareth. "Is Chronika…"

"Taken care of! How's Tyra and Kira?!"

"They're starting to recover, but it's too slow. It should've been instantaneous!"

"I think I know what happened. My friend Jacquie caused a paradox right as Chronika was fully defeated. I've brought her back to her original Timeline but she used Chronika's crown in that Timeline to do what she wanted, creating a temporal paradox of her own ecistence. The Timeline is trying to erase her because of it!"

"Remove her from time," called a weak voice in the background.

"Kira!"

"She needs to be removed from that Multiverse's Timeline completely."

"I don't know how to make that permanent!"

"Bring her to the Citadel. But… once's she's removed, she can never go back."

"Come on! Can't you do anything?!"

"It's either that or let someone else take her place. Either way… someone needs to be erased to heal the crack."

"It's ok," said Jacquie. "I had a feeling this would happen. Dad deserves a happy ending. I just did what a Briggs would do…"

"Phoenix," said Cassie. "Swap us."

"What," I exclaimed.

"Swap us! I'm not about to let my best friend go through with this!"

"Cassie," said Jacquie.

"Make your decision now," shouted Gareth. I growled softly before going through my options and finally deciding. I called up Earthrealm and let General Blade know of the situation.

"Dammit," she said. There was a moment of silence before she spoke up again. "Cassie. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It would be the best option," said Gareth. "At least she'd have Phoenix to fall back on. Jacquelin would just feel alone up here. Stop debating, Phoenix! You know what needs to be done!"

"I'm sure, Mom," said Cassie.

"Then Phoenix," continued General Blade. "Look after my daughter."

"Hold on," shouted Present-Johnny in the background.

"Tell Dad I'm sorry," said Cassie, trying to hold back tears. I brought Jacquie and Cassie to the Citadel and let Kira work to do what she needed as the rest of the Kombatants started to leave the Keep to get back to the fleet and leave the Netherrealm. Within moments, Kira placed the strain on Cassie before removing her from this world's Timeline completely. She turned to me as the cracks started healing faster, but not completely. "There's still one thing that needs to be resolved there before you move onto the other Temporal Crises. One seems to have fixed itself while another has popped up. Soon, the past versions of your allies will be returned to their point in the Timeline and any changes made within Chronika's loop will catch up as soon as you leave."

"Right," I said as I took Cassie's hand. I looked around. "Where's Alma? I should leave Cassie with her to give her a tour." I should've noticed Gareth's hesitation before he spoke. I should've noticed a pull on my magic that was no longer there.

"She's sleeping," said Gareth. "This whole ordeal has been a bit worrying for her. I suggest you finish things up in that world and move on to the closest Temporal Anomaly." I sighed and took Jacquie to join the others. I landed on the lead ship and saw Liu Kang eliminate the rest of the oni army before the ships took off. I turned to the T-800 and sighed before walking over to him.

"Alright, Big Guy. Time to send you home."

"Negative," said the Terminator. I glared at him.

"If you think I'm going to let you stay here to start killing people…"

"Going home is not an option. Using Chronika's Hourglass, I was able to see the future of my world. I attempted to find a means of achieving victory for the machines. Every single outcome where machines and humans went to war with one another ended in the same way. Complete termination of both sides. I used the Hourglass to create a timeline to ensure both humans and machines are allowed to coexist."

"You helped them stay at peace?"

"It was the only logical option." He started walking to the edge of the ship. I followed him closely, still wary. "The knowledge I acquired from the Hourglass is too dangerous to remain intact. I cannot return home or Skynet will attempt to find the Hourglass of my world. I cannot remain, or the people of this world will create another Skynet. There is only one course of action." He took an anchor and handed me a chain. "Termination."

"The only logical outcome." I shook my head and sighed. "Well, for what it's worth, thank you for your help, Big Guy. And let me guess, you need me to help drop you into the Sea of Blood since you can't self-terminate."

"Affirmative." I nodded. "You know this Sea really is bottomless. And the rules of it don't really follow the laws of Earth."

"Then if I am not crushed by the pressure of the blood, I will simply continue to fall like the other one." I nodded and started lowering the anchor into the sea. The Terminator gave me one last nod before his head submerged under the blood. I turned around and saw Jacquie standing behind me.

"You and I both know you'd do the same thing if Cass were in your shoes."

"I know," she said with a sigh. "I know. I just hope Johnny knows that."

"He'll be upset. But Sonya and Cass knew what needed to happen and took that into consideration. If Cassie were to take your place, she has a place in the Citadel with me. If you had to disappear, you'd forever be alone. And Jax would then have nothing else to live for. We all took these things into consideration. Your old man deserves a break. Cassie did what she, her mother and her father would've done for a friend."

"Well said, Phoenix," said Raiden behind me. I turned around and spotted Alternate Raiden and Liu Kang. "Cassandra Cage is one of the most loyal and noble souls I have ever seen. I hope this Crisis is over."

"Almost. This Multiverse, the biggest threat to Reality, has been neutralized. Now I need to investigate others and bring those to a close." I pressed a button on my OmniBoy and opened a portal to their worlds. "Thank you both for your help."

"Of course," said Liu Kang before we bowed to each other and he left. Raiden paused before leaving for his world and turned to me.

"Phoenix," he said. "Take care you don't lose yourself in these Crises. This much hardship can turn even the kindest of hearts dark."

"I know, Raiden. Thank you again." Raiden summoned his staff and handed it to me. I looked at him in question.

"Keep it. You may need it more than I do." With that, he left to his world and I closed the portals. I admired the staff until Scorpion walked over to me.

"Phoenix," he said. He bowed low when I looked at him. "I apologize profusely for the part I played in the death of my future self, your father." He stood up straight and his gaze hardened slightly. "And I must ask you for your help."

"With what?"

"I tried to save the Shirai Ryu. To save Harumi and Satoshi. Each time they suffered the same fate as before. I looked beyond the Multiverse to see why this was. Chronika is not alone. The Titans have been targeting my family, as well as others throughout Reality. For what reason, I do not know. I wish for you to be prepared. Find the Titans and, if you can, avenge us."

"I will, Scorpion." He bowed before he and the other Kombatants lost in time returned to their point in the Timeline. I sighed and leaned against the mast. Fire God Liu Kang looked at me.

"You look tired," he said.

"Chronika kept killing me over and over again. If it weren't for the fact that the fighting was driving her mad, I wouldn't have been able to break free of an endless cycle of death."

"You are fortunate, then," said Raiden. I jumped to my feet and turned to the Thunder God. Or really, former Thunder God. Raiden was human. I stared at him as Liu Kang looked surprised.

"Lord Raiden," he said.

"Just Raiden is fine. I am no longer a god. Thank you both. Without either of you, Earthrealm, all of the Realms, would be lost. On behalf of all of the Realms…" He bowed to us. "Thank you."

"What are you going to do now," I asked.

"I think I shall live the rest of my days helping however I can. Liu Kang will need help with his new state of being. As for the Hourglass…"

"The Council will handle that. With the Elder Gods dead, and only Cetrion remaining, new gods will arise soon to take their place. Until such time, we will monitor things here. Lord knows that Shinnok would jump at the chance to claim at least one world to start his path to the Council. And then… there's the Titans to think about."

"Titans," asked Liu Kang. I told them about Scorpion's warning and Raiden frowned.

"Why take an interest in these families," he asked.

"My guess, their bloodlines were one chosen by the gods," I replied. "In the previous Timeline, Scorpion was chosen to stop the revived Dragon King Onaga and return the Kamidogu to their Realms. The Elder Gods believed he was the only one with the power to defeat Onaga. They were right. Not even Shujinko was strong enough despite Onaga's 'gift' to him. Scorpion was the only one with the strength and conviction to defeat him. But if that were the case, why would the Titans allow him to live?"

"I think only you can find that answer," said Liu Kang. I nodded as I thought about what Scorpion saw.

* * *

A couple of hours later, I suffered the beating of Johnny as he let out his anger and sadness over what had happened. No one intervened or pulled him off of me. I wouldn't let them. I put myself in his shoes. If the same thing were to happen to Alma, I'd be just as angry as Johnny was. Parents can understand the position of other parents in times of grief and anger. I simply let Johnny vent everything out. Sonya stayed stoic off to the side, sad but not showing it. She understood what needed to be done, the sacrifice a good leader makes for their men and a good person makes for their friend. Johnny finally broke down after about twenty minutes, his hands bleeding from the constant punching. He started crying and Sonya went to him, bringing him into a hug. I said nothing. There was nothing I could say to make this better. Cassie could never return to her home or risk being erased. They could easily visit the Citadel to see Cassie, but how often they could visit was dependent on their time and on the Council's decision. Sonya nodded to me, dismissing me, and I left.

I exited the room they were in and spotted Takeda and Jacquie hugging not far away. No doubt she had just told him what had happened, and he was comforting her. I walked over to them and met Takeda's gaze. He nodded before turning to Jacquie. "We need to start the funeral for Grandmaster Hasashi. Can you…"

"I'll wait in your room." She hugged and kissed him once more before nodding sadly to me and walking away. I sighed and looked at Hanzo's chains.

"How are you feeling?"

"Numb," I said. "Though I think that's because I've been flayed multiple times by a mad Titan of Time." I chuckled softly as Takeda placed his hand on my shoulder. "Christ. I really am like Johnny. Using humor to deflect."

"People need different ways to grieve. At least you're not drinking again. Come on. The preparations are ready." I nodded and followed after him. I altered my appearance, so I was wearing a traditional attire like Takeda currently was. We joined the rest of the clan and we began the funeral. No one spoke. No one needed to. As a clan, we knew how much Hanzo was respected by all of us. He trained us, taught us, picked us up when we were down, sometimes literally. He was saved through our upbringing. Through us, he had been redeemed. We bowed in respect one last time before Takeda and I started the funeral pyre. As his adopted son, I collected his ashes into an urn and made the trek to a gravestone. I dug it up and found two other urns within the grave. I placed Hanzo's ashes in the grave before covering up the grave once more and adding Hanzo's name beside his wife and child. I bowed before making my way back to the Fire Gardens, only to stop as I felt a presence behind me.

"What is it?" The figure behind me walked just behind me. I didn't need to turn around to look at them. The feeling I had in my chest, the feeling of my lungs stinging in a snowstorm, my heart beating rapidly, and the feeling of dread and fear were clear indications.

"Be prepared, Mason," said a deep voice from the figure. "Hardship follows the path you are on."

"You've never been one to give a warning, Bayek."

"The Supreme Orders will begin soon. Be ready for them." I turned around, and the figure had left. I shivered slightly before walking forward again. Takeda officially took control of the Shirai Ryu, I used my OmniBoy to allow Johnny and Sonya to say goodbye to Cassie and prepared to leave.

"Phoenix," said Frost behind me. I turned around and spotted her and Skarlet standing behind me. "Can we go with you?"

"Why," I asked.

"We have no place here," said Skarlet. "And you still carry the Kamidogu. I am bound to follow you." I sighed before ringing up the Citadel.

"Tyra. Portal for three, please." I gestured for them to walk forward and started to follow when I heard a sickly laugh nearby. I looked around, trying to find where it came from. No one else had heard it, no one reacted. I frowned before turning back to the portal and mentally prepared myself for what came next. Oh, what fun I had there. Rogue dragons, a pink glob, two superpowered berserkers, and a battle obsessed idiot. Not to mention a Demon God trying to control time himself. Luckily, this time I had some more significant help than in the Mortal Kombat Multiverse. Help from a bug man with a perfection complex, a boy who really didn't get how Time Travel really worked, and a female cyborg scientist with a split personality and ravenous appetite. But that, is a story for another day.

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Alright. Thanks to everyone reading this story. Sorry I couldn't add in Spawn, but there wasn't a way I could incorporate him into a spot as either an assistance or a hindrance in the story. This is the finale unless I add one more chapter to this in order to act as a wrap up. But Phoenix's story isn't done, as stated before.**

**A few more stories will cover the Temporal Crisis as Phoenix travels to other Multiverses like the Dragonball and Fate Verses, which explains Jeanne D'arc appearing in the Netherrealm to act as a defensive force against the oni army as the Throne of Heroes appeared at the Citadel. If you're interested, stick around as Phoenix's story expands across multiple stories in his fight against Shinnok and the other enemies that make up the Conquerors like DBS' Zamasu. There will be another Crisis following the Temporal Crisis before the Titans make a full return to the Metaverse to hunt down the being killing off their brethren. I hope you stick around for more of Phoenix's battles and check out my other stories as well. If you're not interested, thanks for reading and have a good day/year/life. Until next time, Y'all!**


	10. Prelude to the Crisis Aftermath

**(Author's Notes)**

**Alright, let me put this out here right now. The Time Crisis Saga of the Metaverser Series is still ongoing. This is just a taste of what happens after all of the stories are completed and the events leading up to the next Saga I have planned. To those familiar with my Metaverser series as a whole, this will lead to the next Crisis Event Phoenix Mason will need to confront. Please enjoy and review.**

* * *

**(Three days after the Time Crisis)**

I caught Cassie's punch and flipped her over me before pinning her to the ground in our training room with a grin. "Point," I said.

"Oh really," she asked with a smirk. I felt a barrel against my head and gave her a look.

"Oh, now I just win overall. We agreed, no drones."

"But nothing was said about daughters," said Alma behind me with a chuckle. I turned around and was met with a squirt of water to my eyes.

"Traitor."

"Hey," said Cass as she pulled Alma into a hug. "Not my fault she prefers me over you. Just means she's got class."

"Thank god you didn't inherit your fathers stupid name thing." She stuck her tongue out at me before hugging Alma, pressing their grinning cheeks together. I smiled before standing up and helping Cassie to her feet.

"Phoenix," said Gareth from the intercoms. "Get to the Central Chamber. There's something you need to see." I sighed.

"Nothing's ever simple."

"What do you mean," asked Cassie.

"He never calls Dad by his name unless it's serious," said Alma. "It's always 'Ingrate', 'Simpleton', 'Ruffian', ooh and my personal favorite 'Worthless Piece of…'"

"Hey," I said. "Watch your language and stop reading minds without permission. He's never said that last one out loud." I put my signature duster back on and went to the central chamber where I was then pinned to the ceiling with living demonic spikes skewered through my shoulders. I growled and changed to my Angelic Form, burning the hellish weapons away from me, and landed in a three point stance before glaring at the man who sent them at me. "Hey, Al! How's the Eighth Circle?!"

"Phoenix Mason," said the Hell Spawn, Al Simmons. "Still making a mess for me in Hell?"

"Haven't been back in some time."

"It shows. Your domain is a fucking shitshow."

"Hell's meant to be chaotic, Spawn! Just means more punishment for the damned!" I blocked his next attack with my Angelic Shield and the two of us growled at each other.

"ENOUGH," shouted _Denise_ of all people. We turned to her and saw her in her Shadow Form. Gareth, remarkably, stayed silent. "Both of you need to focus and stop fucking fighting!"

"How he gets anything done is beyond me," said a synthetic voice beside me. I turned and spotted a man who was mostly machine and looked similar to my Hunter Armor.

"Murphy," I asked.

"Hello, Mason." I turned to the Manifestations of Life and Death.

"What the hell is going on?"

"You need to head back to Cassie's World," said Gareth.

"Ok, but why?"

"Liu Kang's attempt at trying to restore Chronika's Manipulations have been met with… interference _within_ the Paradox."

"Within? The hell is going on?"

"That's what I'm investigating," said Spawn. "So far, I've managed to find out that Quan Chi and Shang Tsung have formed a second Deadly Alliance."

"No, I killed Shang Tsung."

"You killed his Remnant from the Defunct Timeline. The Shang Tsung from the past and the revived Shang Tsung were still alive, just trapped in the Void thanks to Chronika."

"And when we gave the Titanic Bitch her Uber Death, he got out."

"And sought the help of Quan Chi," said Murphy. "We've also detected their own attempt to disrupt time in their favor."

"What do you mean?"

"That's why they're here," said Denise, back to her ethereal black dress and pale skin with long flowing hair. "Somehow, they've opened portals to both of their respective worlds."

"I've got Netherrealm assholes flooding into the other Hell Worlds," said Spawn.

"Old Detroit has been overrun with Tarkatans and Shokan," said Murphy.

"And we've got reports of insane soldiers from the Chaosrealm in Gotham City from Doctor Fate," said Gareth.

"Three portals leading _outside_ of the Universe," I exclaimed.

"Liu Kang originally cracked the Hourglass in his original attempt to fix time," said Kira as she and her twin walked into the Central Chamber. "They were able to open portals in the brief amount of time it took Liu Kang to think of using the Crown."

"The resulting strain of attempting to fix the cracks while there were portals out of the affected universe halted his efforts and froze him in time," said Tyra. "We need to bring the Incursions back to their realms and close those portals. Or prevent them from happening at all."

"You'll be working from inside the Paradox," said Gareth as he rubbed his forehead. "And…" I turned to him.

"What's wrong with you," I asked.

"The same thing that has Lady Death on edge," said Spawn. "These Incursions are causing a disruption of the Cycle of Life and Death. Souls are being consumed rather than cycling through the Void."

"We need to stop the Deadly Alliance," said Murphy as the Robocop moved to me. "Detroit is in danger."

"And the Demon Lords of the other 11 Hells are about to bring the fighting to alternate Earths. Mason, I'm not gonna pretend that I especially like your ass. But we need to work together and stop these motherfuckers as soon as fucking possible."

"Couldn't agree more, Colonel Simmons," said Cassie behind me. I turned around and my jaw dropped as I saw her attire. She wore a copy of my Hunter Armor, same plating in the same areas as my own and a skintight bodysuit covering her skin. "Eyes front, Babe." She smirked at me.

"Damn…"

"You've got a wife, Simmons," I said. "Look away." Cassie grinned and removed her helmet and saluted.

"Commander Cassandra Cage, United States Special Forces, reporting for duty," she said.

"You're uh… you're going to?"

"Of course. Someone's gotta watch your back." She winked at me before looking at Murphy. "Officer Alex Murphy. It's an honor sir." She turned to me. "And don't worry, Phoenix. Gallio specifically made this armor to protect me from the Time Erasure." She placed her hand on my cheek. "I'll be fine."

"Just remember to be careful," said Kira. "Any interactions with this alternate version of you may not end well."

"She's right," I said. "Because of your removal from time, if you interact with this version of you, I don't know what might happen."

"What about you," asked Cassie. "Aren't you…"

"In the Paradox? Yeah, I am, but my memories will sync with my past self and I will work to keep things from going too far out of control on the original end. But I can't cover for everything. The longer we're there, the more our very presence will change things more than my original presence already has. We need to work fast and stop the Deadly Alliance. But first we need to know everything they're doing and…"

"You remembered it too, I see," said Gareth.

"What are you talking about," asked Tyra.

"Shinnok," said Kira. "He never showed up. The Time Merger Paradox caused Raiden to combine with his past self, Fujin as well. So where was Shinnok?"

"And why, if he did merge with his past self, did Cetrion and Chronika not know about it," I asked. "The fact that Shinnok was not present during the events of the Paradox is disturbing, to say the least. We need to expect Quan Chi is working to bring Shinnok to the Hourglass and usurp Chronika. Shang Tsung will more than likely try to take control of the Hourglass himself."

"What about the other portal in Gotham. We can assume that it was Shang Tsung who opened a portal there," said Denise. "But would he have knowledge of that world?"

"He would if he was paying close attention to me from the Void. All it takes is one instance of knowledge and he can find it."

"And my world," asked Murphy.

"If Quan Chi _is_ working for Shinnok, he is a former Elder God who would be aware of the existence of other worlds. Quan Chi might have opened the portals to the other Hells and if not there, then the portal to Old Detroit. But it takes a significant amount of power to do so. We have to assume there's one more member in this Deadly Alliance."

"But who," asked Cassie.

"We'll find out when we arrive in the Paradox. Hopefully, we'll arrive with enough time to prevent the opening of the portals and stop them from ever opening."

"You better not be telling us you're going to do that," said Spawn. "It's likely to kill us!"

"Relax. It's not the first time I've slingshot myself into a timestream."

"Excuse me," asked Kira.

"Nothing! We're going!" I snapped and a sphere of energy surrounded the four of us. I placed my repaired Hunter Armor on and grinned as Cassie placed her helmet back in place with a matching grin on her face.

"This is the last time you do this!"

"Sorry, can't hear you over the Temporal Field! Bye!"

"I'm going to fucking hate this," muttered Spawn. Murphy stayed silent as sand surrounded the energy sphere and Cassie held onto me as we felt a lurch. I controlled the sand around the energy sphere and launched us into the Sands of Time before shooting us into the Chronika Paradox. That's when I remembered my fucking oversight. The Holy Grail was still in my Omni-boy inventory. Had I remembered to remove it in the first place, maybe things wouldn't have ended up the way they did in the end.

* * *

**(Author's Notes Pt. 2)**

**And the first instance for the final chapter of the Time Crisis is up. This won't be updated as often as I want to limit the number of spoilers to the rest of the Time Crisis. The full Aftermath story will be it's own story at the end of the Time Crisis Saga which will continue with the Dragonball Xenoverse story, Dragonball Metaverse, I've started at the same time this is uploaded, followed by the Third Crisis, the Red Vs Blue Paradox which will be the last story in the Time Crisis before Aftermath. Hope y'all will stick around for all of them. Until next time, Y'all!**


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